As New York City braces for a blizzard forecast to drop nearly two feet of snow across the five boroughs, officials are scrambling to recruit temporary workers to help clear streets and sidewalks. But one requirement for would-be shovelers is drawing outsized attention: applicants must provide three forms of identification.
According to the Department of Sanitation of New York (DSNY), individuals seeking temporary snow removal work must submit two small 1.5-inch-square photographs, two original forms of identification along with photocopies, and a Social Security card. Workers must also be at least 18 years old, legally authorized to work in the United States, and physically capable of performing heavy labor.
The pay is straightforward: $19.14 per hour, rising to $28.71 for overtime beyond 40 hours per week.
On paper, the documentation requirement aligns with standard employment verification rules, particularly federal work authorization mandates. But critics argue that the policy highlights what they view as a striking contrast between employment standards and the city’s approach to voter identification.
Hypocrisy Alert: NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani is asking New Yorkers to help shovel snow, but you have to register.
Here’s the catch:
Mamdani demands you show 2 forms of ID plus copies and a social security card! pic.twitter.com/jeZ0rJuntz
— Tudor Dixon (@TudorDixon) February 21, 2026
New York City’s Board of Elections does not generally require registered voters to present identification at the polls. First-time voters may provide a driver’s license number, non-driver ID number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number during registration. If identification was not submitted at registration, voters can still cast an affidavit ballot.
That difference has fueled criticism from conservative commentators.
Former Michigan gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon labeled the situation a “Hypocrisy Alert” on social media, arguing that city leadership demands extensive identification simply to help clear snow while maintaining a more lenient stance on voter ID. Fox News host Jimmy Failla also mocked the requirement online, referencing Mayor Zohran Mamdani in his criticism.
Mamdani, affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America, is part of a political movement that has historically opposed voter ID laws, arguing they disproportionately affect minority and low-income voters.
Supporters of the city’s documentation requirements note that employment verification is governed by federal law, which mandates proof of identity and work authorization. Voting procedures, by contrast, are shaped by state election law and longstanding legal precedent in New York.
Still, the optics have amplified the debate. As snow begins to fall and residents look to earn extra income by helping the city dig out, the identification requirement has become more than an administrative detail. It has evolved into a flashpoint in the broader national argument over ID standards, election security, and public policy consistency.
