Kentucky legislature overrides governor to enact voter ID law News
© WikiMedia (MarkBuckawicki)
Kentucky legislature overrides governor to enact voter ID law

The Kentucky legislature used their supermajority Tuesday to override the governor’s veto on a voter ID bill. The law will be effective for the 2020 general election, but not the primary elections to be held in June.

Senate Bill 2 requires that Kentuckians show proof of identification to the poll clerk before casting a ballot. The ID must be issued by the state of Kentucky, the Department of Defense, a college or university, or a local government. It must also have the name and photo of the individual seeking to vote.

In a public statement defending his veto, Governor Andy Beshear asserted the bill would create barriers to the ballot box, causing fewer people to vote and weakening Kentucky’s democracy. He noted that government agencies responsible for issuing photo IDs are not open to the public due to the COVID-19 outbreak. So, Kentuckians have no clear access to obtain the required documentation.

Beshear also provided that there is “no documented evidence of recent voter fraud in the form of impersonation in Kentucky.”

Tuesday’s vote fell on party lines, with Republicans arguing that the measure is needed to protect the integrity of Kentucky’s elections. Republican Senator Robby Mills cited the importance of the 2020 elections in Kentucky on the floor of the Senate. He also stated that recent elections have been decided by only a small number of votes.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky has opposed the bill and some have speculated that they will challenge the law in court.