(Secretary of State's Office employees issue free IDs to local Gees Bend residents.)
In an effort to promote the new photo ID law today,
Secretary of State Jim Bennett visited Alberta, Alabama –commonly known as Gees
Bend - to help make new voter ID’s for those that need them. This visit was part of the mobile site visits
which will happen all over the state in the next few months.
“I thought that it was important to visit this particular
area of our state first. During the
civil rights movement, the ferry to this area was suspended to suppress voter
registration. We want to make sure that we reach out to every single county and
every single voter who needs a photo ID,” Bennett said. “Our efforts are not aimed at suppressing the
vote but making sure the ballot box is available to everyone and that voters
have confidence in the outcome of the elections themselves.”
“Voters can also get a free voter ID at their Board of Registrar’s
office in their county or in the Secretary of State’s office. What we are trying to do with these mobile
site visits is get to some of the more outlying areas of the county to make
this process convenient for all voters,” Bennett explained.
The photo voter ID law adopted by the state Legislature will
take effect in the first statewide primary of 2014, which is June 3rd.
A voter can use any of the following
forms of photo ID at the polls starting June 3, 2014:
. Valid Alabama Driver’s License
. Valid Alabama Nondriver ID
. Valid Alabama Photo Voter ID Card
. Valid State Issued ID (Alabama or any other state)
. Valid Federal issued ID
. Valid US passport
. Valid Employee ID from Federal Government, State of Alabama,
County, Municipality, Board or other entity of this state
. Valid student or employee ID from a public or private college or
university in the State of Alabama (including postgraduate technical or
professional schools)
. Valid student or employee ID issued by a state institution of
higher learning in any other state
. Valid Military ID
. Valid Tribal ID
If a voter possesses any of these forms of ID, he/she is
not eligible to receive a free Alabama photo voter ID card. The voter must
bring one of these photo IDs to the polls on Election Day or place a copy of
the ID in absentee ballot materials.
For more information on the process on how to receive a
free voter ID, voters can call 1-800-274-VOTE or go to www.alabamavoterid.com. The mobile site schedule will also be posted
there.
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