Opponents of Virginia’s photo ID law made their case today before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. They claim the requirement creates an unnecessary burden for people who want to vote.
Democrats are challenging photo ID laws in several states. Already such laws have been thrown out in Texas, North Dakota and North Carolina, but Albemarle County Delegate Rob Bell doubts that a three-judge panel will rule on Virginia’s law before the November election.
“If they’re going to try to do something for this election they would have to rule immediately. They had an opportunity to expedite this. They chose not to, and so at this point we do have a photo ID requirement in place for 2016.”
Bell notes Virginia offers a free photo ID to anyone who wants one.
“If you come and vote and don’t have an ID, they let you vote. It’s called a provisional ballot, and then you have three days to come in with an ID, and you can even get an ID afterwards to be the qualifying ID. They had a little over 700 who did that in 2014, and roughly half of them did come in later and show that they had proper ID, and I think in the 2015 election, where turnout was lower, they said there were about 400.”
Since 2013, Bell says about 5,000 people have gotten a card from the Department of Motor Vehicles, and no one has been turned away from the polls.
