Alabama elections officer launches push to get voter ID to every eligible voter

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April 21, 2015

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — As we head into another presidential election season, Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill is teaming up with the state legislature to ensure every eligible voter in the state has the means to go to the polls.

Sec. Merrill has asked state legislators to provide three separate dates and times, as well as venue information in their areas for when his office could hold voter registration and free photo I.D. issuance drives.

“As Alabama’s Secretary of State, I am very concerned about the vast number of Alabama citizens who are eligible to vote but remain unregistered due to a lack of knowledge or understanding about the registration process,” Sec. Merrill said in his letter to state lawmakers. “With your help, I intend to organize special drives wholly dedicated to voter registration and voter photo ID distribution. And I hope during these events, every eligible individual will have the opportunity to become a registered voter and obtain a voter photo ID card, if necessary.”

Since the Alabama legislature passed a voter fraud prevention law in 2011 requiring voters to show a photo ID before being allowed to vote, Democrats across the country have attempted to paint the law as an attempt to disenfranchise minorities and the poor.

Sec. Merrill’s efforts to ensure everyone who wants a valid photo I.D. has one may put some of those fears to rest.

According to the Secretary of State’s office, forms of photo ID accepted at the polls include valid driver’s licenses, Alabama photo voter ID cards, state issued ID from any state, federal issued IDs US passports, employee IDs from the Federal Government, State of Alabama, County, Municipality, Board, or other entity of this state, student or employee IDs from a public or private college or university in the State of Alabama (including postgraduate technical or professional schools), Military IDs, or Tribal IDs.

To receive a free photo I.D. from the state, applicants must show they are a registered voter and bring one a birth certificate, marriage record, Social Security Administration document, hospital or nursing home record, Medicare or Medicaid document, or an official school record or transcript.