Senate panel weighs voter-ID bill

— A Senate panel is considering whether Arkansas voters should be required to show photo identification before they can cast a ballot.

The Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee was expected Thursday to consider a voter-ID bill proposed by Republican Sen. Bryan King of Green Forest.

The proposal would allow voters to cast a provisional ballot if they don’t have an ID. For their vote to be counted, they must show an ID to county election officials by the following Monday or sign an affidavit stating they can’t show an ID because they’re indigent or for religious reasons.

State law already requires poll workers to ask voters for identification. Voters can still cast a ballot without showing ID.

King proposed similar legislation in 2011.

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