Photo identification will be required for West Virginia voters after latest bill signed into law
By Autumn Shelton, RealWV
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Beginning on July 11, West Virginia voters will be required to show a valid photo identification at a polling location, or meet certain exceptions, before being allowed to vote.
On Thursday, Gov. Patrick Morrisey held a ceremonial signing of House Bill 3016, which he signed into law on Wednesday. This bill was introduced on February 27 by lead sponsor Del. Erica Moore, R-Roane.
According to the bill, upon entering an election room, a voter must provide a poll worker with a valid identifying document containing a photo that matches the individual’s voter registration record. Valid identifying documents include a valid West Virginia driver’s license or identification card, a valid driver’s license issued in a state other than West Virginia, a valid U.S. passport or passport card, a valid photo employee identification card issued by a governmental entity, a valid photo student identification card issued in West Virginia, a valid military photo identification card, or a valid photo voter registration card issued by a West Virginia county clerk or Secretary of State.
Voters over the age of 65 may present an expired photo identification if the photo identification was not expired prior to the voter’s 65th birthday, the bill continues.
In the event that a registered voter does not have a proper form of photo identification, they may be accompanied to the polling location by an adult who will sign an affidavit, under oath, that they have known the person for at least six months and that the person is who they claim to be. Additionally, a poll worker may allow a registered voter to vote without photo identification if they have known the registered voter for at least six months.
Lastly, the bill sets out requirements for casting a provisional ballot if no photo identification is provided.
“In West Virginia, we want to ensure that everyone who is eligible to vote can do so easily,” Morrisey said, adding that the Attorney General J.B. McCuskey will hold those who commit voter fraud accountable.
“But, I think we are here today because we want to make the laws as simple as possible,” Morrisey continued. “No photo i.d., no vote . . . we can’t afford to sacrifice our elections to mistrust or questionable practices. I don’t think this should be controversial, and I’m very excited to help make this a law.”
McCuskey, who spoke during the ceremonial signing, said that this law will provide West Virginians with increased election confidence.
“We’ve seen elections come down to two, three, four votes . . . and so while it may seem sort of antithetical that many elections are not all that close, a lot of them are,” McCuskey said. “And, if you’re a candidate who goes out and spends your incredibly important time away from your family to come try to serve the people of West Virginia, knowing that every single person that participated in that election was eligible, I think, is incredibly meaningful.”
He said this law gives all voters the confidence that “their vote isn’t being washed out by somebody who isn’t eligible” to vote.
Senate President Randy Smith, R-Preston, added that this state doesn’t have a “big problem,” with elections like other states, but this law will serve as a way to ensure that elections are “fair and honest.”
House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, said that as interest in elections has increased, so has the importance of keeping them safe.
“What we know is, as the world’s become more connected, as those who have taken an interest in who we choose as our leaders has become heightened, the temptation to influence elections in all jurisdictions in the United States of America has grown from foreign adversaries, from adversaries here at home,” Hanshaw said, concluding that he is proud to have worked with his colleagues, those in the Senate and the Governor to get this bill into law and to keep moving forward in ensuring the state’s elections are free and fair.
