Two national groups have sent letters to the North Dakota Secretary of State protesting the application of the state’s new voter identification laws. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Freedom Resources Center for Independent Living claim the new voter ID laws could disenfranchise voters. In its letter, sent on Friday, the ACLU recommends expanding the forms of ID permitted to be used to include items such as passports, game and fish licenses and utility bills. Secretary of State Al Jaeger said Monday his office will review the letters and craft a response. However, he said his office is limited by statute as to what it can do in adopting any recommendations made by the groups.
“We’ll have to wait and see. There are some restrictions in the law as to what we can do,” Jaeger said. “I don’t know if any of what they say is doable but we’ll look at it.”
There are five acceptable forms of ID: a North Dakota driver’s license, a non-driver’s license, a tribal ID, student ID certification and a long-term care ID certificate.
All IDs must have name, address and date of birth. The non-driver’s license IDs can be attained for free at any state motor vehicle office.
Legislation passed in 2013 altered the ID requirements and also did away with allowing voter affidavits.
Full Article: Groups want adjustments to voter ID rules.