Voter Photo ID Requirement

Full Title:
A bill to require voters to provide photo identification as a condition of casting a ballot, and for other purposes.

Summary#

This bill adds a new federal rule that people must show a valid photo ID to vote in person in federal elections. It also sets rules for ballots cast other than in person, requires states to help people copy IDs at government buildings, and requires voter-registration systems to warn applicants about the ID rule. The change takes effect on the date the bill becomes law and applies to federal elections held after that date.

Key changes:

  • In-person voters must present a valid physical photo ID to get a ballot. If they do not, they may cast a provisional ballot but must provide the ID or a signed affidavit (for religious objections to being photographed) within 3 days to have the ballot counted.
  • Ballots cast other than in person (for example, by mail) must include a copy of a valid photo ID, or the voter must submit the last four digits of their Social Security number plus a state affidavit saying they tried but could not obtain an ID.
  • States must, to the extent practicable, offer free public access to devices (printers, scanners, copiers) in government buildings so people can copy photo IDs.
  • The bill lists acceptable IDs: state driver’s licenses, state ID cards from motor vehicle agencies, U.S. passports, military IDs, and tribal government photo IDs with an expiration date.
  • States must notify people about the photo ID requirement when they register to vote, including during online registration.

What it means for you#

  • In-person voters: You must present one of the listed photo IDs to receive a regular ballot. If you do not have one, you can cast a provisional ballot but must provide the ID or a religious-objection affidavit within 3 days for that vote to be counted.
  • Mail or absentee voters: You must send a copy of an accepted photo ID with your ballot. If you cannot, you can send the last four digits of your Social Security number and a state affidavit saying you made reasonable efforts to get an ID.
  • Military and certain accessibility voters: The photo-ID copy requirement does not apply to absent uniformed service voters and to some voters who are given non‑in‑person voting under an accessibility law.
  • People without IDs or who cannot afford copying: States must try to provide free public access to devices (printers, scanners, copiers) at places like courts, libraries, and police stations so you can make a copy of your photo ID.
  • People registering to vote: When you register, in person or online, the registration process must inform you about the photo ID rule before you finish.
  • Election officials and state governments: They must change procedures, set up public copying access where practicable, update registration systems to provide notices, and handle provisional ballot cure processes.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Possible costs suggested by the bill text:

  • States and local governments may face costs to provide and maintain public imaging devices (printers, scanners, copiers) in multiple government buildings.
  • Administrative costs to update voter-registration systems and online forms to include the required ID notices.
  • Training, staffing, and workload increases for election offices to check IDs, process provisional ballots, track cure deadlines, and handle affidavits.
  • Costs for outreach and materials to notify voters about the new ID rules.
  • Potential private costs for some voters to obtain an acceptable ID, though the bill requires free access to copying devices and offers an affidavit route in some cases.

Proponents' View#

  • The bill appears intended to strengthen ID checks for federal elections by requiring photo identification to receive a regular ballot.
  • This could be seen as improving verification of voter identity and creating uniform ID standards across federal elections.
  • Including options like provisional ballots and affidavits for religious objections, and an affidavit path for voters who cannot obtain an ID, may be presented as balancing access with verification.
  • Requiring public access to copying devices aims to reduce the burden of producing ID copies at no cost to voters.
  • Notices at registration and online aim to reduce confusion by informing voters in advance about the ID requirement.

Opponents' View#

  • One concern is that requiring photo ID could make it harder for people who do not have an accepted ID to cast a regular ballot, particularly if obtaining an ID is difficult or costly for them.
  • The 3-day deadline to present ID or an affidavit to cure a provisional ballot may be tight for some voters, depending on office hours and access to required documents.
  • The rule for non‑in‑person ballots (copy of photo ID or SSN last four + affidavit) could create extra steps and barriers for absentee voters.
  • The bill says states must provide public access to imaging devices “to the extent practicable,” which is vague and may lead to uneven availability across places and populations.
  • It is unclear what counts as “reasonable efforts” when a voter claims they cannot obtain a photo ID; the bill does not define that standard.
  • Requiring the last four digits of the Social Security number for some absentee voters raises possible privacy or data‑handling questions about how those digits are stored and protected.