Voter ID Law Could Mean Longer Lines in Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant During 2012 Elections

Now that the Voter ID bill has been law for a couple of weeks, the clerks in both Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant have had a chance to read it and start planning a course of action for the 2012 elections.

"Retraining the workers will be key," said Mary Cole, clerk/treasurer in Sturtevant.

Debra Salas in Mount Pleasant agreed, saying also that increased staff could help keep lines manageable during busy elections.

"I'll have to talk to our poll workers and get some feedback," she said. "But having an extra table or two could help things move along more quickly."

Cole and Salas did say they're looking forward to getting training themselves so they can pass the knowledge on to their poll workers.

"The Government Accountability Board is really good about that," Salas added. "After I learn it all, then I can draft instructions and develop classes for our workers."

Voters need to understand what types of identification are acceptable to avoid any confusion on election day that could deprive them of their chance to vote:

• State-issued ID or driver's license
• U.S. passport
• Current military ID
• Identification from a federally recognized Indian tribe

But even those with a suspended or revokes license call still vote as long as they have a copy of their citation so their ballot can be properly marked. 

The clerks expect to see an increase in provisional ballots, which means that voters without an approved form of identification can still vote, but their ballots are held in special blue envelopes. Voters then have until 4 pm the Friday after an election to present their photo ID in order to have their ballot count.

Both Cole and Salas are looking at ways to make the process more efficient for everyone because the voter check-in will take longer.

"It's more paperwork, especially now because voters have to initial the book next to their name," Cole pointed out. "I'm glad we have some time before the next election cycle to work on making the process as smooth as possible."

Still, Cole wonders how much of an issue this will really be in Sturtevant if past elections are any indication. She said many residents automatically present their photo ID when they check in to vote.