Voter ID required in election
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, September 3, 2003
Alabama's new voter identification law, which was passed during the Legislature's Regular Session, will also be in effect for the special election on Tuesday, September 9. Acceptable forms of ID are:
Government-issued photo IDs (current and valid); identification for employee with photo of employee produced by the employer; photo ID card issued by Alabama college or university;
current and valid photo ID issued from Alabama technical or professional school; utility bill of voter with voter's name and address; bank statement with voter's name and address; government check with voter's name and address; paycheck with voter's name and address; valid ID card issued by the State of Alabama which includes any branch, department, agency, or entity of the State of Alabama; valid ID card which is authorized by law issued by any of the other 49 states which includes any branch, department, agency, or entity of that State; valid ID card authorized by law issued by the government of the United States of America which includes any branch, department, agency, of entity of the federal government; valid US passport; valid Alabama hunting license; valid Alabama fishing license; valid Alabama pistol/revolver permit; valid pilot's license issued by the FAA or other authorized agency of the federal government; valid US military ID; birth certificate (certified copy); valid social security card; naturalization document (certified copy); court record of adoption (certified copy); court record of name change (certified copy); valid Medicaid card; valid Medicare card; valid electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card; or government document that shows the name and address of the voter.
A voter without one of these forms of ID will be permitted to either vote a challenged or provisional ballot, or if identified as a voter on the poll list by two poll workers and both workers sign the voting sign-in register, the person will be able to cast a regular vote.
Currently, there have been no formal complaints from voters about the voter ID law, Covington County Circuit Clerk Roger Powell said.
Local voters, who all said they would vote on September 9, weighed in their opinions for the new voter ID law.
"It's absolutely important (for there to be verification of ID)," said Tom Rider of Andalusia. "You have to show an ID to check out at (certain stores). The important thing is the vote; there have been people six feet under ground who have voted (in previous elections). The ID law is important and needs to be done."
"It's the reasonable thing to do, because it eliminates voter fraud," Rachel Taylor, of Andalusia, said.
"Voters should most definitely show a photo ID," said Grady Barnes of Andalusia. "A voter registration card isn't enough, because it's just a piece of paper without a photo on it.
IDs should be mandatory every time there is a vote."
There were at least several people in opposition to the new law, but they declined to have their opinions printed.