America’s elections are administered locally by tens of thousands of government employees and citizen-volunteers. This decentralized process sometimes makes people worry about the possibility of fraud. If there is so much leeway for state and local election boards to select people, and administer rules and procedures, to what degree can Americans trust the process?

Voter ID laws are described by their supporters as a way to ensure that only eligible citizens cast votes. Opponents see these laws as a barrier to voting. This brief answers several questions, including: Which states have ID laws? What kinds of people lack a photo ID? Do states without voter ID laws have higher documented rates of voter fraud?

One of the bedrock guarantees in the U.S. Constitution is freedom of speech. Freedom of speech means that the government cannot prevent people from expressing their opinions. However, freedom of speech does not mean anything goes in all contexts. Many laws limit what people can say and do. The rules governing speech are especially important in a polarized, diverse society with many opposing viewpoints. What are the rules governing speech?