After lengthy and at times acrimonious debate Thursday, the Rhode Island House of Representatives sent to Gov. Lincoln Chafee a bill that would require voters to show identification at the polls starting next year.
A driver’s license, a passport, military ID or a voter identification card are among the acceptable forms of identification under the legislation. The bill would require the state to provide free voter identification cards. Until 2014, voters could also use a birth certificate, Social Security card or Medicare card.
Those who don’t have identification would be allowed to cast provisional ballots.
The House, which did not bring the contentious bill out of committee until Thursday, voted 51-22 to approve a version endorsed by the Senate in May.
A spokesman for Chafee could not immediately say whether the governor planned to sign it.
Full Article: RI General Assembly sends voter ID bill to gov – Boston.com.