The More You Know: Rhode Island Law Says Voters Can Vote Without Photo ID
Many conservatives, such as Ann Coulter, like to point to Rhode Islands voter ID law as evidence that such laws do not have disparate racial impacts because Rhode Islands law was introduced and supported by Democratic legislators, and signed into law by formerly-Republican Governor Lincoln Chafee (I-RI). Aside from the silliness of the premise, that Democratic support for a single law refutes empirical proof of their impact and confessions as to their intent, Rhode Islands law differs from other voter ID laws significantly in that it doesnt actually require you to have photo ID to vote.
This isnt even some mystery-shrouded loophole embedded in a sea of legalese, its right there on the Rhode Island state website (emphasis mine):
This year, poll workers will ask you to show a current and valid ID when you vote at your polling place. Voter ID strengthens the publics faith in the integrity of our elections by enabling poll workers to match a voters face to the name they give at the polls.
I know what youre thinking, but no, that provisional ballot exception doesnt sunset when the rest of the law is phased in. Heres the statutory language:
17-19-24.3. Provisional Ballot Procedures. (a) At all elections, a person claiming to be a registered and eligible voter, but who has failed to provide proof of identity pursuant to section 17-19-24.2 shall be allowed to vote a provisional ballot upon executing a provisional ballot voters application. All provisional ballots, together with a provisional ballot voters application, shall be placed in an envelope in the form prescribed by the state board and deposited in a ballot box. (b) The local board shall examine each provisional ballot application to determine if the signature matches the signature on the voters registration. If the local board determines that the signatures match, the provisional ballot shall count. If the local board determines that the signatures do not match, the provisional ballot shall not count and the ballot shall remain in the envelope containing the provisional ballot application and the envelope shall be marked Rejected as Illegal.
In addition to not actually requiring photo ID, Rhode Islands voter ID law differs from other such laws in another critical respect, notes the Brennan Center:
In Rhode Island the photo ID bill that eventually became law was introduced by a Democratic legislator, passed two legislative chambers controlled by Democrats, and was signed by an independent governor.
Senate sponsor Harold Metts said, [I]n this day and age, very few adults lack one of the forms of identification that will be accepted, and the rare person who does can get a free voter ID card from the Secretary of State. While Im sensitive to the concerns raised, at this point I am more interested in doingthe right thing and stopping voter fraud.56 But Rhode Islands bill is significantly less restrictive and differs substantially from the others that passed this session, in two major respects. First, unlike the other states that provide a narrow list of acceptable photo IDs, Rhode Island broadly accepts any ID with a voters name and photograph.
Even given all of the ways that Rhode Islands law differs from the ones that, say, Chris Matthews was referring to when he said that Republicans pursue these laws to disenfranchise traditionally Democratic constituencies, theres also been recent legislative movement to claw back Rhode Islands law:
Rhode Island voters who have no photo IDs would be able to continue to show a government-issued ID when they go to the polls, according to a bill approved by the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday night.
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The More You Know: Rhode Island Law Says Voters Can Vote Without Photo ID