FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2025
Contacts: Julie Archer, Deputy Director — WV Citizen Action Group
julie@wvcag.org, 304-610-9094
Jillian Welsh, Communications Coordinator — WV Citizen Action Group
jillian@wvcag.org | 562-305-5769
Statement from West Virginia Citizen Action Group on HB 3016:
Photo ID Requirement Puts Voting Rights at Risk for Thousands in WV
Charleston, WV — On Monday, March 24, the House Judiciary Committee advanced HB 3016, legislation eliminating non-photo voter ID options and requiring all West Virginians to present a photo ID to vote. While the committee removed language that would have required non-citizen designations on IDs, the bill remains a direct threat to voting access for many eligible West Virginians — especially seniors, people with disabilities, low-income individuals, and those living in rural areas. A full House vote is expected today, Friday, March 28.
Although the bill no longer focuses on requiring proof of citizenship, it still ignores a critical reality: many West Virginians do not have — and cannot easily obtain — the documents needed to get a photo ID. According to an October 2023 survey by the Brennan Center for Justice, over 21 million American citizens of voting age — more than 9 percent — do not have easy access to these documents. The percentage is likely even higher in West Virginia, where the population skews older and poorer than the national average.
“I understand that many things require a photo ID, which many of us take for granted. However, most of these are privileges. Voting is a right, and it’s wrong to assume everyone has the same lived experiences or means,” said Julie Archer, WV Citizen Action Group Deputy Director. “My 95-year-old mother-in-law hasn’t driven in over 20 years, didn’t have a photo ID until very recently, and still wouldn’t have one if my sister-in-law hadn’t jumped through a million hoops on her behalf. The fact that she was born at home and her birth was never recorded made it much more difficult to get the necessary documents. People like her, who don’t have someone to advocate for them, are the ones who this legislation will harm.”
HB 3016 would make it significantly harder for eligible voters to cast a ballot — especially those who do not drive, lack internet access, or cannot afford the time or money to track down hard-to-obtain documents like birth certificates. These burdens fall disproportionately on seniors, people of color, people with disabilities, low-income voters, and students.
The Brennan Center notes in its research, “Convenience matters when it comes to consistent participation in American elections.” Additionally, we know from testimony submitted by the League of Women Voters of WV on other voter suppression bills that the reasons West Virginians cited most often for not voting are:
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Too busy/had a conflicting work, family or school schedule
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Illness or disability (own or family member)
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Transportation problems
Even more troubling, there is no evidence that HB 3016 addresses a real problem. During a hearing on the bill, a representative from the Secretary of State’s office testified that they were unaware of any instances of voter fraud in West Virginia that the proposed law would prevent.
This bill is not about election security — it’s about creating barriers that will disenfranchise vulnerable voters under the false pretense of preventing fraud. West Virginians must demand that legislators reject any other laws that make it harder to vote.
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