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Virginia Panel Approves Voter ID Measure

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New legislation in Virginia would restrict voters without ID to provisional ballots.
AP Photo/Matt Rourke
New legislation in Virginia would restrict voters without ID to provisional ballots.

A Virginia House of Delegates committee has endorsed legislation that would require voters without identification to cast provisional ballots.

Currently, voters in Virginia who fail to produce an ID sign an affidavit attesting to their identity and then cast a regular ballot. If Del. Mark Cole's bill becomes law, those voters would still sign the affidavit, but their provisional ballot would be reviewed by election officials the next day to determine whether it should be counted.

Opponents of the bill argue that it would suppress voting by minorities and the poor. They also say there's no evidence of voter fraud to warrant the change.

Supporters of the bill describe it as a commonsense measure to ensure the integrity of elections.

The panel voted 15-6 Friday to send the bill to the House floor.

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