Polling places; identification required to vote. (HB1787)
Introduced By
Del. Rob Bell (R-Charlottesville) with support from co-patron Del. John A. Cox (R-Ashland)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
☐ |
Passed Committee |
☐ |
Passed House |
☐ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Elections; identification required to vote. Amends the type of identification a voter must present to vote at the polls. All such identification must contain the voter's name, date of birth, and photograph; must be issued by the United States or the Commonwealth; and must contain an expiration date that is unexpired or that expired only after the most recent general election. The bill also requires that the Department of Motor Vehicles shall issue a free special identification card to voters who do not possess and cannot afford the necessary photo identification. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2014. Read the Bill »
Status
02/01/2013: Merged into HB1337
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
01/08/2013 | Committee |
01/08/2013 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/13 13103361D |
01/08/2013 | Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections |
01/10/2013 | Impact statement from VCSC (HB1787) |
01/11/2013 | Assigned P & E sub: Elections Subcommittee |
01/29/2013 | Subcommittee recommends incorporating (HB1337-Cole) |
02/01/2013 | Incorporated by Privileges and Elections (HB1337-Cole) |
Comments
The ACLU of Virginia opposes legislation that places unnecessarily burdensome and unconstitutional identification requirements on voters at an unprecedented cost to the state. More than 21 million Americans of voting age lack documentation that would satisfy photo ID laws and a disproportionate number of these Americans are low-income, racial and ethnic minorities, and elderly. Assuming national statistics apply to Virginia, over 600,000 Virginians would be disenfranchised because they do not have a government-issued ID. The ACLU believes that laws requiring photo ID to vote are a solution in search of a problem. There is no credible evidence that in-person voter impersonation fraud – the only type of fraud that photo IDs could prevent – is even a minor problem in Virginia. Additionally, a free voter ID would be available, but only for individuals who sign an affidavit swearing to their indigence. Under court precedent, it is unconstitutional to condition the right to vote on the willingness of voters to pay for an ID or swear that they are unable to afford one.
WE ARE RURAL FAMILY IN HONORABLE MR BELL'S DISTRICT.
WE ARE ELECTION OFFICIALS IN MR BELL'S DISTRICT.
WE STRONGLY OPPOSE THIS UN-NEEDED, TROUBLE-MAKING LEGISLATION.
OUR RURAL PRECINCTS HAVE MANY ELDERLY, DISABLED, AND POOR PEOPLE - WHO DO NOT DRIVE (SO, NO DRIVERS LICENSE), WHO DO NOT WORK IN PLACES THAT ISSUE PHOTO IDS, WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION TO GO SIGN AFFIDAVITS, ETC
WE ARE DEEPLY ASHAMED OF MR BELL, WHO IS OTHERWISE A SMART AND PLEASANT-ENOUGH PERSON TO SPEAK WITH.
MR BELL, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED!