Jan 29 2010
State Senate Reaches Voter ID Compromise
The Senate reached a compromise Thursday on a controversial Voter ID bill that phases in over two years new requirements for a picture ID in order for a person to vote in South Carolina.
The bill also establishes a new 15-day early voting period prior to elections, maintains walk-in absentee voting for 30 days prior to an election and retains mail-in absentee voting beginning at 45 days before an election.
The photo identification requirement takes effect Jan. 2, 2012, and the State Election Commission must begin issuing voter registration cards with photo ID by July, 1, 2011, pending state funding being made available for the cards.
The system carries an educational, public outreach component, so that currently-registered voters for whom obtaining a photo identification may pose a difficulty, could be assisted.
The compromise proposal must be cleared by U.S. Justice Department and still must go back to the S.C. House for its consideration and passage.
“This is another example of the Senate at its finest hour,” said Sen. Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston, Senate president pro-tempore.
This is the Senate’s finest hour? I’m all for requiring ID to vote, but let’s not embellish too much here. Then again, considering the state of our state, he’s probably serious. They’ve actually done something right for once.
This has been such a controversial issue in South Carolina between and the Republicans and the Democrats and there is really no logical reason why. Voting is one of the most important rights we have in this country and the integrity of that process needs to be protected. I need to show my ID to get on an airplane, enter a Federal building, drive a car, open a bank account and the list goes on and on. It only makes sense you should have to prove your identity at the ballot box. It’s one of the surest ways to prevent fraud in our electoral system.
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