Gov. Terry McAuliffe has vetoed a bill that would require voters to submit photo ID when requesting a physical absentee ballot, calling it an “unnecessary and impractical barrier” to absentee voting. House Bill 1428, sponsored by Del. Hyland F. “Buddy” Fowler Jr., R-Hanover, would require any voter submitting an application for an absentee ballot by mail or by fax to submit with the application a copy of one of the forms of ID acceptable under current law. The bill would exempt from the requirement military and overseas voters and people with disabilities.
“The requirement would not in any way deter fraudulent voting since it provides no means of verifying the identity of the individual depicted in the submitted photograph,” McAuliffe wrote in his veto message.
“The right to vote is a fundamental tenet of our democracy, and we should be doing all we can to facilitate eligible citizens’ access to the ballot. This bill would undoubtedly result in the disenfranchisement of qualified eligible Virginian voters and increase the potential for costly and time-consuming litigation.”
Fowler noted in a telephone interview that people who vote in person on election day or who vote absentee in person already are required to present a form of identification that includes a photo ID.
Full Article: McAuliffe vetoes Fowler bill on photo ID for absentee ballots | Virginia Politics | richmond.com.