Raleigh, N.C. – A proposed constitutional amendment for North Carolina to join 34 other states with voter identification laws passed its first of two votes in the state House of Representatives on Monday.
House Bill 1092 Const. Amendment – Require Photo ID to Vote is sponsored by state House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland), Rep. David Lewis (R-Harnett), Rep. Michelle Presnell (R-Yancey), Rep. John Sauls (R-Lee), and 43 co-sponsors in the North Carolina House of Representatives.
If approved by the General Assembly and a majority of voters in the November 2018 election, the proposal would amend the Constitution of North Carolina to require that every person offering to vote in person present photo ID before voting in the manner prescribed by law.
“We are fighting for the gold standard in voting,” said Rep. David Lewis (R-Harnett), chairman of the state House Elections Committee, during debate on the proposal.
“We want to make sure that everyone who is eligible to vote is able to cast their vote once, and that those votes cumulatively determine who wins and loses our elections.”
“We want extraordinary turnout, because participation is key to confidence in, and legitimacy of, our elections.”
Polls consistently show the overwhelming majority of North Carolinians – and Americans – support voter ID as a common sense measure to strengthen election security.
North Carolina is the only state in the Southeast not to require some form of voter ID. Many of North Carolina’s neighbors – including Georgia, Tennessee, and Virginia – mandate strict voter ID that requires individuals without acceptable ID to cast a provisional ballot and present a valid ID shortly after election day.
Under current law, North Carolina voters state their name and residential address for election officials to verify their identity.
Approving voter ID would place North Carolina in the mainstream with 34 other states that require some form of voter ID.
H.B. 1092 passed the Committee on Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House last week after public comment and committee discussion about the election integrity measure.
“The overwhelming majority of North Carolinians support and believe that voter ID is a commonsense measure we can do to ensure election integrity,” said state House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland).
“It provides all voters the right to cast a secure ballot. Let’s be clear – concern for the security of our elections is bipartisan.”
Background
H.B. 1092 is the seventh bill filed by N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore to enact voter ID in North Carolina since he was first elected to the state House in 2002. Moore also filed voter ID legislation in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, and 2013.
Opinion polls consistently show overwhelming public support for voter ID in North Carolina and across the country:
- 69%of North Carolinians support voter ID in Feb. 2018 Civitas Poll
- 70% of likely U.S. voters support voter ID in Aug. 2017 Rasmussen Poll
- 68%of North Carolinians support voter ID in May 2017 Civitas Poll
- 80%of registered U.S. voters support voter ID in Aug. 2016 Gallup Poll
- 70% of registered U.S. voters support voter ID in May 2014 Fox News Poll
- 73%of North Carolinians support voter ID in March 2012 Elon Poll
- 75% of likely U.S. voters support voter ID in June 2011 Rasmussen Poll