Correction: Photo identification cards that can be presented at the polls as proof of identity must have either not expired or expired no more than four years before the date of the election in which the person seeks to vote. This article did not specify that unexpired cards are also valid.
Arkansans have one month to weigh in on rules on voter photo-identification requirements proposed by Secretary of State Mark Martin.
Act 595 of 2013 by Sen. Bryan King, R-Green Forest, created the photo-identification regulation and ordered the secretary of state to draft the rules.
Under previous state law, poll workers had to ask voters to show identifying documents, but the voters did not have to show them.
Proponents say the new law will reduce voter fraud. Opponents say it may lower turnout among poor, elderly, disabled or minority-group voters.
A copy of the rules is available on the secretary of state’s website at www.sos. arkansas.gov, or a copy may be obtained by contacting the Legal Division of Martin’s agency at the state Capitol. Mail may be addressed to the Arkansas Secretary of State, Legal Division, State Capitol, Room 256, 500 Woodlane Ave., Little Rock, Ark. 72201, and telephone contact is at (501) 682-3401. An e-mail request may be submitted to IDinfo@sos.arkansas.gov.
Written comments on the rules can be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m. July 1 to the same e-mail and physical addresses.
A public hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. June 19 in Room 165 in the Victory Building, 1401 W. Capitol Ave. in Little Rock.
Legislators will also weigh in on the rules, likely in late August, secretary of state spokesman Alex Reed said.
Reed said the office’s legal team wrote the rules.
“They basically took it and wanted to flesh out the language that was in the law and make it more clear on what [voters] needed,” he said.
Reed said the rules are based on what was passed into law and the rules approved by nearby states.
“Ours isn’t necessarily like any of them. They picked some from out of the surrounding states and looked at those and kind of added some things in,” he said.
The rules define proof of identity as a document or identification card that shows the person’s name and photograph, has an expiration date within the last four years and is issued by the U.S., the state or an Arkansas higher-education intuition.
That would include a driver’s license, a photo-identification card, a license for carrying a concealed handgun, aU.S. passport, a U.S. military identification, a student identification from an accredited Arkansas higher-education institution, a public-assistance card and a card issued by a county clerk that meets the defined requirements.
People seeking an identification card through their county clerk would submit an application that includes information about their residence, height, weight, eye color and hair color. The application includes an oath swearing that the applicant does not have any of the allowable identification. It must be signed in front of a notary.
Applicants would have to provide documents that show their full legal name, birth date and address and proof that they are registered to vote or have applied. Qualifying documents to prove legal name and birth date are a birth certificate, marriage-license application, notarized copy of a state or federal tax return, paycheck or pay stub, Medicare or Medicaid statement, Social Security statement, school record or transcript, or naturalization documentation.
Applicants can prove their residential address using a recent utility or cable bill, bank statement, notarized copy of a state or federal tax return, rental contract or payment, homeowner’s insurance policy, mortgage payment or property tax bill, personal property tax bill, auto registration receipt or a W2 wage and tax statement from an employer.
The card produced by the county clerk would include the voter’s name and identification number in the electronic voter registration system, as well as what county issued the card, the date issued and a color photograph of the voter. If possible, on the basis of software provided by the secretary of state, the card will also include the outline of the county that issued the card and the signature of the county clerk.
The card would be valid until the voter moves to a new county. They would then have to turn over their identification card and apply for a new one.
Reed said the voter has toreapply because the clerk in the new county has to personally see the identifying documents.
“They have to sign their name that, yes, they saw one of the pieces of evidence,” Reed said.
Rep. Fred Love, D-Little Rock, questioned the requirement. He said someone moving from Conway to Little Rock or Bryant would have to get a new card.
“What if you’re a college student? I don’t think that’s going to help. I think it’s going to be a larger cost, it’s going to have some unintended consequences,” Love said.
“It’s going to be a cost to the taxpayer” to reprint the cards.
County clerks would report to the secretary of state monthly how many cards they issued.
A resident of a long-term care facility such as a nursing home does not have to provide proof of their identity before voting, but they have to provide a letter on facility letterhead signed by the facility administrator attesting that the person is a resident of the facility.
For people voting by absentee ballot, the voter must include a copy of a current, valid photo identification or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, governmentcheck, paycheck or other government document showing the name and address of the voter.
Active-duty service members who are out of the country on election days or their spouses who are out of the country are exempt from the requirement.
The rules state that necessary training and equipment will be provided to county clerks so the clerk can begin issuing voter-identification cards on Jan. 1.
It is expected to cost about $300,000 to purchase and set up equipment for all the county clerks, Reed said. He said it is not clearwho will pay ongoing costs such as ink for the identification-card printers, the cards themselves and maintenance for the equipment.
Reed said the office is still deciding what software and equipment it will need to purchase so county clerks can issue the licenses.
“We’re still researching,” Reed said. “It’s probably too early to tell. There are a lot of different companies they are researching, a lot of different companies, but they all do about the same thing.”
Reed said a decision on what equipment to buy will likely be made within the next month.
Arkansas, Pages 7 on 06/04/2013