Blue State Elections Require Less Voter ID Than Olive Garden’s Unlimited Pasta Pass

Olive Garden apparently has a stricter identification policy for unlimited pasta than many Democrat-led states have for voting. Olive Garden posted a series of slides on X explaining to customers how to purchase a Pasta Pass. The Pasta Pass gives customers unlimited access to their Never-Ending pasta bowls. One user asked whether the pass can be used to order pasta for the whole family or whether it is only for the person whose name appeared on the card. Olive Garden confirmed that the “Never-Ending Pasta Pass is only for use by the Passholder whose name is printed on the Pass.” In order to make sure no funny business happens, “passholders must present a valid photo I.D. along with the Pass at the time of ordering.” Apparently unlimited fettuccine Alfredo is so important that you need to show a photo ID to get some. But if you forget your ID to confirm your Pasta Pass, have no fear. You can still find something to do while out and about: vote! (If you happen to live in one of the 14 states that do not require photo ID to cast a vote.) California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Vermont do not require photo ID to vote, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Of those states, some have a “split” government: Pennsylvania has a Democrat House and governor but a Republican Senate, while Nevada and Vermont have Republican governors and Democrat legislatures. The other states are Democrat trifectas. Nor is Olive Garden the only place with stricter identification requirements than at the polling station. New York City required a valid government-issued photo ID in order to shovel snow for the city, while Los Angeles requires a photo ID from homeless persons who want to live in a luxury city-funded apartment. Yet despite the need for photo ID for pasta-lovers, snow-shovelers, and homeless persons trying to live the life of luxury, Democrats in these very same places are fighting federal photo ID requirements. The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act would require both documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo ID to cast a vote. Both requirements are overwhelmingly popular, with a 2024 Gallup poll finding 84 percent of adults favor requiring photo ID to vote, while 83 percent favor proof of citizenship to register. Brianna Lyman is an elections correspondent at The Federalist. Brianna graduated from Fordham University with a degree in International Political Economy. Her work has been featured on Newsmax, Fox News, Fox Business and RealClearPolitics. Follow Brianna on X: @briannalyman2