CHARLESTON COUNTY, SC (WCSC) -
Lowcountry poll workers had to match up
thousands of faces to names today.
The primary election marked the first time
the new voter ID law was in effect in our area.
It requires voters to present photo identification at their polling
place in order to cast their vote.
Acceptable identification includes a drivers' license, DMV ID, voter registration
card with photo, military ID, or passport.
"It's been going really smoothly here in
Charleston County and the other directors I've spoken to [say] they're also
seeing in their counties, it's been extremely smooth as well," Charleston
County Board of Elections Executive Director Joe Debney said.
The poll clerk at the West Ashley Middle
School polling place agreed – saying only two people had asked questions about the
new requirement.
"I was somewhat surprised because no one has
come in without a photo ID and I expected there to be quite a few," Ronnie Spry
said. "It's been working fine. There's not a problem with it at all."
If a voter does not present a valid photo ID
because of a reasonable impediment, they are still able to vote with a provisional
ballot.
"Your vote is not lost at all," Debney said.
"You can still cast a provisional ballot
and you'll state why you could not obtain that photo identification and then
we'll count that ballot."
Reasonable impediments include a religious
objection to being photographed and family responsibilities.
If a voter does not have a reasonable impediment,
or they simply forgot to bring it, they may still vote a provisional ballot. However, they must provide one to the county
election commission prior to certification of the election on Thursday,
according to scvotes.org.
A free photo ID can be obtained at the DMV
or the county elections office.
Copyright
WCSC 2013. All rights reserved.
