On Monday, March 24, the House Judiciary Committee advanced HB 3016, eliminating voter ID options without photographs and requiring WV voters to provide a photo ID to vote. The committee did remove discriminatory provisions that would have required IDs to include a non-citizen designation. HB 3016 will be up for vote in the House of Delegate on Friday, March 28.
Although the focus is no longer on requiring proof of citizenship to vote, it’s important to take into account that many West Virginians do not have passports, which can be used instead of a state-issued ID or driver’s license, or copies of their birth certificate or other documents necessary to obtain a photo IDs. An October 2023 survey by the Brennan Center for Justice and partners found that more than 9 percent of American citizens of voting age, or 21.3 million people, do not have easy access to these documents. The percentage of West Virginians who lack access to these documents is likely higher because our population is older and poor. However, the Brennan Center survey also revealed significant racial disparities, showing that Americans of color were less likely to have these documents readily available than those who identified as white.
Overly burdensome ID requirements disproportionally affect seniors, minorities, people with disabilities, low-income voters, and students. These requirements create obstacles for eligible voters who lack the documentation for photo IDs, such as birth certificates. Acquiring these documents can be especially difficult for vulnerable West Virginians — particularly those who don’t drive or lack access to transportation or the internet.
As the Brennan Center notes in its analysis, “Convenience matters when it comes to consistent participation in American elections.” Additionally, we know from our friends at the League of Women Voters of WV the reasons West Virginians cited most often for not voting are:
- Too busy/had a conflicting work, family or school schedule
- Illness or disability (own or family member)
- Transportation problems
Furthermore, no evidence exists that a photo voter ID requirement would address any problem. Like non-citizens voting, voter impersonation is virtually nonexistent. During a hearing on the bill, a representative of the Secretary of State’s office said they were unaware of any incidents in West Virginia of the type of fraud the voter ID bill would address or of voters forging documents on our current list of voter ID options to vote.
Tell Republicans in the House to stop their attacks on democracy and reject bills like HB 3016 will make it harder for West Virginians to vote.
You can find contact information for your delegate here.
Creating barriers for eligible voters to prevent extremely rare abuse is a policy decision, but it is disingenuous for legislators to pretend that HB 3016 won’t disenfranchise numerous West Virginians.