Hearings for important election bills are scheduled as follows:
Tomorrow, May 19:
South Carolina
– Voter ID/Early Vote bill, H 3418 is scheduled to be heard by the Conference Committee at 8:59 a.m. in the Third Floor Conference Room, State House.
This bill was amended to require all voters to present valid and current ID before voting, including South Carolina identification issued by the Dept. of Motor Vehicles, passport, military ID, or voter registration card with photo (Sec. 7-5-675 directs the State Elections Commission to implement a system to issue voter registration cards with photos). If an election manager disputes the photo on the ID card or the person does not have the required ID at all, he or she may vote provisionally. Further, those with religious objections to being photographed or those with an “impediment that prevents the elector from obtaining photograph identification” would be allowed to vote provisionally after signing an affidavit.
The bill also would allow any voter to vote during the early voting period, at least 30 days before an election and leading up to the day before Election Day. This bill provides for free special identification cards, issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, for citizens over the age of 17.
Thursday, May 20:
Tennessee
– Proof of Citizenship bill, HB 270 is on the House Message Calendar.
This bill allows the administrator of elections to reject any application of a first-time registrant if it is not accompanied by satisfactory evidence of U.S. citizenship, including copies of birth certificate or passport, or presentation original naturalization papers.