Final answer:
The Heritage Foundation's specific count of voter impersonation fraud cases between 1979 and 2021 is not provided, but the Department of Justice found only twenty-six cases of voter fraud out of 197 million voters in federal elections between 2002 and 2005, indicating it is a rare occurrence. Voter ID laws, which have been implemented more rigorously, are often justified as a means to prevent voter fraud but face criticism for potentially suppressing the vote of minorities and economically disadvantaged groups.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, documents cases of voter fraud, which includes voter impersonation fraud. However, multiple sources, including the Department of Justice, have indicated that cases of voter impersonation fraud are exceptionally rare. Specific numbers from the Heritage Foundation regarding voter impersonation between 1979 and 2021 are not provided in the information available. Still, the instances of voter fraud in federal elections as noted by the Department of Justice between 2002 and 2005 were remarkably low, with only twenty-six voters found guilty out of 197 million.
Increased voter ID laws have become a point of contention, as they have been criticized for disproportionately affecting minority voters and the poor, ultimately impacting their right to vote. While the rationale for these laws is often to prevent voter fraud, evidence suggests that the problem of voter fraud, particularly voter impersonation, is significantly small, leading to debates on whether such laws are necessary or if they instead serve to suppress voter turnout among specific demographic groups.