CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A photo ID will now be required for West Virginian’s to vote.
“No photo ID, no vote,” Gov. Patrick Morrisey said at Thursday’s ceremonial signing of HB 3016.
“This is just commonsense,” Morrisey said. “You need a photo ID to drive a car, purchase alcohol and get on a plane, why shouldn’t you need one to vote in an election?”
The new law says several different forms of photo ID are acceptable including:
–A valid West Virginia driver’s license or valid West Virginia identification card issued by the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles.
–A valid driver’s license issued by a state other than the State of West Virginia.
–A valid United States passport or passport card.
–A valid employee identification card with a photograph of the eligible voter issued by the United States Government or of the State of West Virginia, or by any county, municipality, board, authority, or other political subdivision of West Virginia.
–A valid student identification card with a photograph of the eligible voter issued by an institution of higher education in West Virginia by a West Virginia high school.
–A valid military identification card issued by the United States with a photograph of the person desiring to vote.
–A valid voter registration card that includes the voter’s photograph issued by a county clerk in the State of West Virginia or the Secretary of State.
Secretary of State Kris Warner said the law goes into effect July 11 and will not impact the more than 100 municipal elections scheduled to take place in June.
“This new law is a common-sense way to ensure poll workers can accurately and efficiently verify the identity of voters appearing to vote at the polls to protect the integrity of our elections,” said Warner.
Twenty-three other states have photo ID laws, Warner said.
The law provides for several exceptions including the use of an expired driver’s license photo if an elderly resident was a legal license holder when they were 65. The poll workers familiarity with the voter can also serve as identification.
In some cases residents without a photo ID will be forced to vote a provisional ballot and then the Board of Canvassers would decide on the ballot after the election.
Del. Erica Moore, R-Roane, said the bill has exceptions for good reason.
“There is an elderly population, an older population, that aren’t used to having a digital ID or IDs in general. It’s a good way to work those people in but eventually I’d say everyone is going to have their photo ID,” Moore told MetroNews Thursday.
Senate President Randy Smith, R-Preston, said any accusations of voter suppression are unfounded.
“Everybody’s got a photo ID, they can say what they want to,” Smith told reporters after Thursday’s ceremony. “If they are cashing a check, getting prescriptions, if they doing anything in our government right now they have a photo ID. It’s a lot of hype for nothing in my opinion because everybody I talk to has got a photo ID.”