Vermont H. 670: An act relating to the Green Mountain Care Board's expenditure analysis and health care spending estimate

Bill Text

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VT LEG #386102 v.1
H.670 1
Introduced by Representative Tagliavia of Corinth 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Elections; conduct of elections; process of voting; voter identification 5
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to require voters 6
to present valid identification, based on proof of citizenship, when voting in 7
person or by early or absentee ballot. This bill will also require the 8
Commissioner of Motor Vehicles to provide free nondriver identification cards 9
to all eligible voters in the State for the purpose of voting, upon presentation of 10
documented proof of U.S. citizenship and proof of residency. 11
An act relating to requiring voters to present identification when voting 12
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 13
Sec. 1. 17 V.S.A. § 2563 is amended to read: 14
§ 2563. ADMITTING VOTER 15
(a) Before a person may be admitted to vote, he or she the person shall 16
announce his or her the person’s name and, if requested, his or her the person’s 17
place of residence in a clear and audible tone of voice, or present his or her the 18
person’s name in writing, or otherwise identify himself or herself by 19
appropriate documentation. The election officials attending the entrance of the 20

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polling place shall then verify that the person’s name appears on the checklist 1
for the polling place. 2
(1) If the name does appear, and if no one immediately challenges the 3
person’s right to vote on grounds of identity or having previously voted in the 4
same election, the election officials shall repeat the name of the person and: 5
(A)(i) If the checklist indicates that the person is a first-time voter in 6
the municipality who registered by mail or online, whose driver’s license, 7
nondriver identification number, or last four digits of his or her the person’s 8
Social Security number provided by the applicant have not been verified by the 9
Secretary of State, and who has not provided required identification before the 10
opening of the polls, require the person to present any one of the following: a 11
valid photo identification; a copy of a current utility bill; a copy of a current 12
bank statement; or a copy of a government check, paycheck, or any other 13
government document that shows the current name and address of the voter. 14
(ii) If the person is unable to produce the required information, the 15
person shall be afforded the opportunity to complete a new application for 16
addition to the checklist in accordance with section 2144 of this title. 17
(iii) The election officials shall note upon the checklist a first-time 18
voter in the municipality who has registered by mail and who produces the 19
required information, and place a mark next to the voter’s name on the 20

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checklist and allow the voter to proceed to the voting booth for the purpose of 1
voting. 2
(B) If the voter is not a first-time voter in the municipality, no 3
identification shall be required. The clerk shall place a check next to the 4
voter’s name on the checklist and allow the voter to proceed to the voting 5
booth for the purpose of voting. 6
(2) If the name does not appear, the person shall be afforded the 7
opportunity to complete an application for addition to the checklist in 8
accordance with section 2144 of this title. 9
(b)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, for all voting 10
methods, including in person, early, or absentee voting, the voter shall present 11
a valid photo identification issued by a government agency using documented 12
proof of U.S. citizenship. 13
(2) The presented identification shall include: 14
(i) a photograph of the voter; 15
(ii) the voter’s full legal name; and 16
(iii) the voter’s current residential address. 17
(3) Auxiliary forms of identification for residency may be used if the 18
citizenship identification lacks a current address, such as a U.S. passport. 19
(4) The presented identification shall be current and unexpired. 20

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(5) Identification issued exclusively to noncitizens shall not be 1
acceptable unless accompanied by separate proof of U.S. citizenship. 2
(6) Religious exemptions from the photo requirement shall be permitted 3
via a signed affidavit attesting to the voter’s religious objection. 4
(7) If the voter does not present the required identification, the voter 5
shall be offered a provisional ballot in accordance with subchapter 6A of this 6
chapter. 7
Sec. 2. 17 V.S.A. § 2537a is amended to read: 8
§ 2537a. MAILING OF GENERAL ELECTION BALLOTS 9
(a) For every general election, the Secretary of State’s office shall mail a 10
general election ballot to all active voters on the statewide voter checklist 11
described in section 2154 of this title. 12
(1)