Committee rejects photo‑ID measure after debate over access and bonded revenues
Loading...
Summary
House Elections Committee debated HB112, a proposal requiring specified photo identification to vote and making the first Delaware photo ID free; the Department of Transportation opposed the bill on bond‑revenue grounds and the committee failed to release HB112 on a roll‑call vote.
Representative Keith presented HB112, an act to amend Titles 15 and 21 to require specified photographic identification for in‑person voting and to address issuance and fees for Delaware photo IDs. The sponsor cited 2020 mailings and COVID‑era affidavits as motivating examples, said the bill would add a final verification at the polls and listed accepted IDs (Delaware driver’s license, Delaware photo ID, U.S. passport, U.S. military ID). He also said the bill would provide the first Delaware photo identification at no cost and set a $20 fee for replacement IDs.
Members questioned whether a photo‑ID requirement would address mail‑ballot mailing errors and noted constitutional and access concerns. Representative Larson, citing research from the League of Women Voters and the Brennan Center, warned that photo‑ID laws can disproportionately affect elderly, low‑income, rural and minority voters and noted the very low documented rate of in‑person impersonation (the Brennan Center figure was cited by committee testimony).
Anthony Alkins, State Election Commissioner, described existing voter‑list maintenance, interstate data sharing (AIRA consortium), confirmation-mail processes, the National Voter Registration Act timeline for removals, and noted that identity‑affidavit procedures are rare (about 200 affidavits in a general election cycle) and provisional ballots are reviewed post‑election.
Lainie Clymer, deputy secretary for the Delaware Department of Transportation, testified the department could not support HB112 because revenues from ID issuance are pledged to the Transportation Trust Fund under a master trust indenture and cannot be reallocated without addressing outstanding bonds (she stated outstanding bond value of $821,400,000), and the department would not submit a budget request to implement the bill.
Jovan Rich of the ACLU of Delaware testified in opposition, saying the bill "would disenfranchise Delawareans by creating an unnecessary and burdensome barrier to the ballot box" and that many residents lack the documentation or resources to obtain acceptable photo ID.
After public comment and discussion, a motion to release HB112 failed on a roll‑call vote: Representative York voted yes; Representatives Bolden, Morrison, Bush, Lozinski and Phillips voted no; Representative Pulaski was absent. The bill did not advance from committee at this hearing.
