The contentious voter ID issue has caused some ruckus in at least two states this week.
On Monday, the South Carolina House adopted photo voter ID bill, HB 3418, despite lacking evidence of voter impersonation and budget issues in the state.
“This bill has been sent to the Senate and will be a very costly bill if enacted,” reported Rep. Danny Neilson at SCNow.com.
Rep. David Weeks (D-Sumter) said the bill is “proof of GOP hypocrisy,” according to the South Carolina State last week. When state budget threatens basic services, “We are saying that we have money for issuing and paying for IDs,” Weeks said. “Do you realize we’re laying off teachers?”
Under the bill, the state Department of Motor Vehicles must issue free identification cards to people 17 and older. That would cost the state about $357,000, according to a fiscal impact study that’s more than a year old.”
A volunteer voter ID campaign implemented in Wisconsin has been halted by election officials in the state, according to the Associated Press.
“The ‘We’re Watching Wisconsin Elections’ campaign urged citizens to tell their municipal clerks to list them in the statewide voter database as needing to show a photo ID to vote,” according to the AP. “Supporters argued the requirement would protect their vote by making sure others did not cast ballots under their identities.”
The Government Accountability Board voted Monday to outlaw the practice because officials feared “voluntary voter ID” would intimidate, confuse, and offend voters. Currently, the state that permits voters to register on Election Day has an extended list of proving residency, ranging from driver’s license to current utility bills. Read more here.