Proponents of the law say it reduces the possibility of voter fraud. Critics of voter ID laws across the country have said they unfairly discriminate against minority communities and the elderly; those who may not have ready access to an ID.
John Marion of the good government non-profit Common Cause Rhode Island says his organization will be watching the election closely.
“While we have concerns about Rhode Island’s law, it is not as onerous as laws that require much more effort, either to obtain an ID or a much more limited number of ID’s are accepted,” said Marion.
Marion he expects only minor problems at the polls, having watched a trial run of the requirement during the election in 2014.
“For instance, not provided the provisional ballot option, or confused some of the valid IDs that are accepted under the law as not being valid,” said Marion.
In Rhode Island a wide variety of IDs are acceptable at the polls. If you do not have an ID on hand, you can cast a provisional ballot to be counted after your identity is verified.
