CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The House Judiciary Committee moved a controversial bill forward Wednesday afternoon that would require a photo ID at polling places.
The 15-8 party line vote was met with strong opinions on both sides during public hearing, with GOP supporters maintaining the measure is necessary to prevent fraud. Democrats contend that the bill would only hurt senior citizens who may not possess a photo ID.
“It’s clear to me that this isn’t about voter fraud. This is about voter suppression; that’s exactly what this is about,” said Del. Shawn Fluharty (D-Ohio).
Del. Patrick Lane (R-Kanawha) disputed the notion that passing a bill requiring voter ID was a ploy to win elections.
“I would rather lose an election because everybody came out and voted against me, than to win one because something I did kept people from being able to vote against me,” Lane said.
Del. Stephen Skinner (D-Jefferson) said the bill would only hurt the elderly, and that there were no documented incidents of voter fraud in the Mountain State.
“Is there rampant fraud in West Virginia? Not one example cited here today,” said Skinner. “The purpose of this is to prevent people from getting to exercise their constitutional right to vote. That is so imperative; I’m an absolute ‘no’ vote on this.”
Lane didn’t see residents not having a photo ID as an issue.
“This notion that there are all these people across West Virginia that do not have a photo ID to be able to present, or some ID to present to fit within the parameters of the bill, is just a bogus notion not based on the facts.”
The committee did approve a number of amendments allowing for alternate ID’s, including a Medicaid or Social Security card. Del. Mark Zatezalo (R-Hancock), didn’t think the bill was unreasonable considering that at the DMV, several forms of ID are required to obtain a drivers license.
“It is not unfair or unwarranted, and I don’t think it’s a bad thing to have a photo ID to vote when you have to have six types of identification to get a drivers license,” he said.
The bill will now head to the full House of Delegates for further consideration.