From Nearly 30 to 3: Voter I.D Bill Makes it out of House Committee

In a 7 to 2 vote, the House Constitution, Campaigns and Election Committee gave a favorable report to a bill that would allow voters to show only government issued, photo identification at the polls.

If the bill becomes law, it would reduce the kind of identifying material that a person could possibly use to prove they are a voter from nearly 30 to 3.

And all three kinds of identification would have to be government issued.

State Rep. Kerry Rich, R-Albertville, is sponsoring the voter photo-I.D. bill, which is being pushed by Alabama Secretary of State Beth Chapman as a way to fight voter fraud.

The former two-term legislator who made his return to the State House on the Republican sweep of the 2010 election cycle told his colleagues that the bill would go a long way in streamlining the identification process that exists under current law.

In 2003, state legislators passed a law that allows voters to use nearly 30 forms of identification at the polls including bank statements and utility bills, as long as it had the voter's name on it. Under Rich's bill a voter would have to provide poll workers with picture identification issued by the state or federal government such as a driver's license, a non-driver identification card or military identification card.

The bill further provides that since the photo identification would be a requirement of the law, the state would provide, free of charge, state issued identification cards for those who would need them. A Legislative Fiscal Office analysis estimates those free cards and subsequent renewals and duplicates could cost the Alabama Department of Public Safety $750,000 (new) and $398,000 (renewals/duplicates), respectively, as they did in fiscal 2010.

Rich said he believes that most people use their driver's license when they go to the polls so it shouldn't cause any problems for about 99 percent of Alabamians. He said provisions that allow homebound elderly and those with disabilities to vote absentee ballot by using a witness or having them notarized wouldn't change. He said those who manage to forget their government issued photo identification on election day would still be allowed to vote provisional ballots, or they can have two certified poll workers sign an affidavit verifying their identity.

Two of the three Democrats on the committee, State Representatives Juandalynn Givan and Demetrius Newton, both of Birmingham, voted against the measure. State Rep. Richard Lindsey of Talladega voted for the measure after he amended it to make sure that probate judges would work with DPS to issue photo identification instead of the Secretary of State's Office.

-- Markeshia Ricks

Check out this list of current forms of identification considered acceptable at the polls in Alabama from the Secretary of State's Website:

A. Current, Valid Photo Identification

1. Government-issued photo identifications (current and valid)
2. Employee identification for employee with photo of employee produced by the employer
3. Photo identification card issued by Alabama college or university
4. Photo identification issued from Alabama technical or professional school (current and valid)
   

OR

B. One of the following

1. Utility bill of voter with voter's name and address
2. Bank statement with voter's name and address
3. Government check with voter's name and address
4. Paycheck with voter's name and address
5. Valid identification card (authorized by law) issued by the State of Alabama (including any branch, department, agency, or entity of the State of Alabama)
6. Valid identification card (authorized by law) issued by any of the other 49 states (including any branch, department, agency, or entity of that State)
7. Valid identification card (authorized by law) issued by the government of the United States of America (including any branch, department, agency, or entity of the federal government
8. Valid United States passport
9. Valid Alabama hunting license
10. Valid Alabama fishing license
11. Valid Alabama pistol/revolver permit
12. Valid pilot's license issued by the FAA or other authorized agency of the federal government
13. Valid United States military identification
14. Birth certificate (certified copy)
15. Valid Social Security card
16. Naturalization document (certified copy)
17. Court record of adoption (certified copy)
18. Court record of name change (certified copy)
19. Valid Medicaid card
20. Valid Medicare card
21. Valid electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card
22. Government document that shows the name and address of the voter

Sarah Palin endorses Martha Roby, Beth Chapman

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin endorsed two Alabama Republican women on Wednesday, the anniversary of the 19th Amendment that opened the voting booth to women.
The 2008 vice presidential nominee endorsed Martha Roby, who is running for Congress, and Secretary of State Beth Chapman, who is running for a second term.
Roby, a Montgomery city councilwoman, is trying to unseat freshman Democratic U.S. Rep. Bobby Bright, the former mayor of Montgomery. Both sides expect a competitive race in the conservative district.
Bright is the first Democrat to represent the district since the 1960s.
Chapman is running against Democrat Scott Gilliland.
Palin, in acknowledging the 90th anniversary of the 19th amendment, used her Facebook page to endorse several female candidates throughout the nation, including women running for Congress in North Carolina, Indiana, and Missouri, and for attorney general in Iowa and Florida.
"Martha Roby served on the Montgomery City Council where she fought tax increases and worked hard to reduce government spending," Palin wrote on her Facebook page. "She's now running to represent Alabama's 2nd Congressional District with a strong message of reform to get our country back on the right track."
Roby is still a member of the city council, where she is in her second term.
"I am very grateful for Governor Palin's endorsement and her kind words," Roby said in a statement. "She is an important leader in the conservative movement, and like many others I was inspired and motivated by her leadership and grace when she took the national stage in 2008."
Palin has not endorsed any other secretary of state, according to Chapman.
"That is quite a vote of confidence and a great show of support for which I am grateful," Chapman said.
Palin and Chapman have met twice and recently worked to try to elect former Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel, who was running for governor there. She lost in the Republican primary to former U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal.
Chapman, who also served a term as state auditor, said the endorsement is a boost to her campaign.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen

Republican candidates for governor meet with party about runoff

State Rep. Mike Hubbard, chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, met with the potential runoff candidates for governor on Monday to talk about how the process will work and to try to ensure there will be transparency.
"Given the circumstances, and due to some confusion regarding the process, we felt that it was imperative to bring all of the parties involved to the table and have an open and honest discussion," Hubbard said in a statement. "The party understands that this situation must be addressed with the highest degree of transparency, out of fairness to all candidates and to the voters."
"Our goal is that when the vote is finally certified, everyone will be confident that the candidates in the runoff were chosen by the voters, and not the party."
Former two-year college system Chancellor Bradley Byrne secured a spot in the July 13 runoff, but the men who finished second and third are separated by 208 votes.
State Rep. Robert Bentley of Tuscaloosa, who is in the second spot behind Byrne, and Greenville businessman Tim James are waiting for the results of the Board of Registrars counting provisional ballots in their respective counties, which is expected to be completed Tuesday.
Secretary of State Beth Chapman also attended the Monday meeting.
Hubbard and Chapman have said that protocol must be followed, according to a release from the state party. He said each of the three campaigns understood the "importance of protecting the sanctity of the electoral process, and that the party will follow the law as it relates to any recount."
"We appreciate the willingness by each of the candidates to come together and agree to at least protecting the best interest of the party, and that of the electoral process," said Hubbard. "The party's role moving forward will be to ensure that any recount is carried out appropriately, and in accordance with the law."
The winner of the runoff will face Democratic nominee Ron Sparks in November.

-- posted by Sebastian Kitchen