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MULTIPLE STATES’ VOTING BILLS

April 2, 2013

Some bill research does not include the Governor's file because at the time we researched the bill, the sitting Governor had not released his chaptered bill file. If the Governor's file is not included with this particular research, please contact our office (1-530-666-1917 or quote@legintent.com) and we will be happy to provide this file at no charge if it is available. Please Note: Governor files did not exist prior to 1943.

     As the U.S. Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, there are state legislatures addressing related issues, such as Election Day registration, early voting and photo ID requirements. Here are a few of these states and their legislative measures:

• Arkansas:  SB 2 would require voters to show photo ID when they go to the polls.  After contentious debate and some procedural maneuvering, the bill just passed the House and the Senate.    


• Hawaii:  HB 511, introduced to address Hawaii’s very low voter turnout rate, would establish Election Day registration.


• Maine:  LD 156 would trigger a statewide referendum to change language in the state constitution to allow early voting, either into a ballot box or a voting machine outside of their precincts, rather than by an absentee ballot that is sealed until Election Day. 


• Virginia:  SB 1256 would require voters to show photo ID at the polls, eliminating all forms of identification that do not contain a photograph from the list of forms of ID, including U.S. passport and a student ID with a photograph.