Action Alert: Tell the Senate to Reject Strict Federal Voter ID Requirements

On July 22, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that includes new federal photo identification requirements for voting.

The voter ID provisions were added to H.R. 7008, a bill titled the Stop Insider Trading Act, and are based on H.R. 9368, the Voter ID Act.

The legislation is not currently law. It must still pass the U.S. Senate and be signed by the president before taking effect.

The League of Women Voters is asking community members to contact Congress and oppose the strict voter ID requirements.

What the proposal would require

The legislation would require voters to present an approved photo ID before casting a ballot in a federal election.

The list of qualifying identification would be limited primarily to:

• A driver’s license or state identification card
• A U.S. passport
• A military or Veterans Affairs identification card
• Certain Tribal identification cards

The proposal would not accept several forms of identification that voters commonly use under current state laws, including student IDs, employee IDs, and public assistance IDs.

Campaign Legal Center also raises concerns that many Tribal IDs would not qualify because the bill requires them to include both a photograph and an expiration date. Tribal citizenship does not expire, so many Tribal governments do not include expiration dates on their identification cards.

Limited options for voters without qualifying ID

The proposal would allow a voter without an approved ID to cast a provisional ballot, but that ballot generally would not count unless the voter returned within three days with qualifying identification.

The only affidavit alternative would be for someone who states that they have a religious objection to being photographed.

That means voters who lack qualifying ID because of cost, transportation, lost documents, disability, housing instability, or other access barriers would not have a meaningful alternative under the proposal.

What this would mean in Michigan

Michigan’s current voter ID rules provide more options.

Michigan voters are asked to show identification when voting in person, and the state accepts several forms of photo ID, including student identification and identification issued by a local government.

A Michigan voter who does not have an acceptable photo ID, or who forgot to bring it, can still cast a regular ballot after signing an affidavit. That ballot is counted with all other ballots.

The federal proposal would require Michigan to change these procedures for federal elections. It would narrow the identification voters could use and remove Michigan’s current affidavit option for most voters who lack qualifying ID.

Nothing has changed for Michigan voters right now

The legislation is not law and does not change voting procedures for Michigan’s August 4 Primary Election.

Michigan voters can continue following current Michigan law. You can vote in person even if you do not have a photo ID by signing an affidavit.

Visit mi.gov/vote to check your registration, find your clerk, locate an early voting site or Election Day polling place, and review your voting information.

Tell Congress to reject strict voter ID requirements

The League of Women Voters has created an action alert that allows community members to send a message opposing the new federal voter ID requirements.

Use this League of Women Voters action alert to tell Congress, including Michigan’s U.S. senators, to reject legislation that would limit the identification eligible voters can use and remove meaningful options for voters without qualifying ID.

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