North Carolina House Republicans are trying to pass legislation that demands people show photo identification before they enter a voting booth, even though it appears the measure would face a veto from Gov. Beverly Perdue.
The House was expected Thursday to discuss the voter ID bill more after the Republican-led chamber conducted the first of two required votes just before midnight Wednesday following just a few minutes of debate.
The bill was tentatively approved on a 67-50 party-line vote, but the GOP margin falls a few votes shy of overcoming any potential veto. Perdue’s office has been critical of the the legislation, and Democrats and voting rights advocates have called it a veiled method to suppress voting among blacks, older adults and women.
House Speaker Thom Tillis, R-Mecklenburg, said the measure is about responding to complaints from constituents worried about illegal voting. Republicans made voter ID a part of their campaign platform last fall as they took control of both the House and Senate for the first time in 140 years. GOP leaders in other states are pushing similar legislation.
Full Article: More debate expected on Voter ID bill in NC – Beaumont Enterprise.