Prop. 200 ID at Polls Procedure is Pre-Cleared by U.S. Department of Justice

Procedure Approved by Governor, AG, and Secretary of State gets no objection from Feds

PHOENIX -- The Secretary of State's latest procedure to implement Proposition 200's voter identification requirement was approved by the Governor and Attorney General today. This clarification to last month's August procedure simply adds that any voter without identification at the polls may receive a “conditional” provisional ballot that will ultimately not be counted until sufficient ID is provided.

“Throughout this long process, I have stood firm on implementing an ID requirement when voting at the polling place, just as the voters called for in Proposition 200,” stated Secretary of State Brewer, “I am heartened by the Governor and Attorney General's quick approval of my amendment and am hopeful that the Department of Justice will preclear this latest procedure so we can finally move forward.”

The amendment became necessary last week upon notification by the Department of Justice which clarified that a voter at the polls must be allowed the opportunity to cast a provisional ballot, however, they also clarified that a state is well within its rights to still require identification before such a ballot is counted.

Today's approval of the ID amendment paves the way for Brewer's earlier ID at the polls procedure to continue being considered as submitted back in August to the Department of Justice. Today's approval letter by the Attorney General's made clear that a whole new procedure would not have to be filed.

“After months and months of delay, it appears that the will of the voters to require identification when voting will finally be met,” stated Secretary of State Brewer.

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