Voter Identification Requirements

If you asked political campaigners the question: “Who actually votes in elections?” nine out of ten would answer “seniors.” This golden group of voters can indeed be counted on to cast their ballots, and the advent of early voting programs, like vote by mail, has only made it easier for seniors to vote.

Nonetheless, residents who want to cast their ballots at the polls this Election Day must be aware of local election laws. Many states require voters bring identification to the physical voting booth in order to cast their ballots.

To help prepare your residents for Election Day, ALFA has gathered information on each state’s rules governing voter identification. Refer to the resource below to learn your state’s requirements and ensure your residents have the required identification when they head to the polls.

Photo ID Only	Photo ID with Exceptions (e.g., Voter May Sign Affidavit in Lieu of Presenting Photo ID)	Non-Photo ID Required (Utility Bill, Bank Statement, Vehicle Registration, Etc.)	No ID Requirements
Georgia Indiana Kansas Mississippi* Pennsylvania* South Carolina* Tennessee Texas* Wisconsin*	Alabama Florida Hawaii Idaho Louisiana Michigan New Hampshire South Dakota	Alaska Arizona Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Delaware Kentucky Missouri Montana North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Utah Virginia Washington	California District of Columbia Iowa Illinois Massachusetts Maryland Maine Minnesota North Carolina Nebraska New Jersey New Mexico Nevada New York Oregon Vermont Wisconsin West Virginia Wyoming

*Court/DOJ rulings pending before full implementation of ID law. Please see below for further detail.

Please contact ALFA directly if you have questions or would like assistance reaching out to your local election officials regarding these rules.

Justin Worrell 
Assistant Director of Government Affairs
703-562-1178
jworrell@alfa.org

Voter Identification Requirements by State

Alabama
Electors may vote without photo ID if two election officials identify the voter as an authorized voter. The election officials must also sign an affidavit. Photo ID will be required in 2014.

Alaska
One form of identification is required. It may be a non-photo ID (birth certificate, utility bill, etc.)

Arizona
Voters may vote without photo ID if they present two forms of ID that show the name and address of the voter.

Arkansas
One form of identification is required. It may be a non-photo ID (birth certificate, utility bill, etc.)

California
No identification requirements.

Colorado
One form of identification is required. It may be a non-photo ID (birth certificate, utility bill, etc.)

Connecticut
One form of identification is required. It may be a non-photo ID (birth certificate, utility bill, etc.)

Delaware
One form of identification is required. It may be a non-photo ID (birth certificate, utility bill, etc.)

District of Columbia
No identification requirements.

Florida
Photo ID is required. If the voter’s ID does not have the voter’s signature, the voter is required to present an additional form of ID that does contain the signature.

Georgia
Photo ID is required.

Hawaii
Photo ID is required.

Idaho
Photo ID is required. If no photo ID is presented, the voter may sign a personal identification affidavit.

Illinois
No identification requirements.

Indiana
Photo ID is generally required. If the voter casts his ballot at a state licensed care community where he resides, he is not required to submit a photo ID.

Iowa
No identification requirements.

Kansas
Photo ID is required. Expired documents are valid if the bearer is 65 or older.

Kentucky
One form of identification is required. It may be a non-photo ID (birth certificate, utility bill, etc.)

Louisiana
Photo ID is required. If no photo ID is presented, the voter may sign an affidavit and present further identification, such as a birth certificate, utility bill, etc.

Maine
No identification requirements.

Maryland
No identification requirements.

Massachusetts
No identification requirements.

Michigan
Photo ID is required. A person without a photo ID can sign an affidavit and cast a regular ballot.

Minnesota
No identification requirements.

Mississippi
Voters approved the addition of strict photo ID requirements to the state constitution in 2010 with 62 percent approval. However, it is not yet effective. The law is currently being reviewed by the Department of Justice. The law must undergo further legislative enactment as well as pre-clearance rules under the Voting Rights Act. Until the new voter ID laws are adopted, Mississippi’s current law, which does not require voter ID, will remain in effect

Missouri
One form of identification is required. It may be a non-photo ID (birth certificate, utility bill, etc.)

Montana
One form of identification is required. It may be a non-photo ID (birth certificate, utility bill, etc.)

Nebraska
No identification requirements.

Nevada
No identification requirements.

New Hampshire
Photo identification legislation was passed in 2011, vetoed by the Governor, and ultimately overridden by the legislature. Under the new law, which takes effect in September 2012, voters must present photo ID or sign an affidavit asserting their identification.

New Jersey
No identification requirements.

New Mexico
No identification requirements.

New York
No identification requirements.

North Carolina
No identification requirements.

North Dakota
One form of identification is required. It may be a non-photo ID (birth certificate, utility bill, etc.)

Ohio
One form of identification is required. It may be a non-photo ID (birth certificate, utility bill, etc.)

Oklahoma
One form of identification is required. It may be a non-photo ID (birth certificate, utility bill, etc.)

Oregon
No identification requirements.

Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania recently passed strict photo identification law. The law is being challenged by civil and voting rights groups in the Commonwealth’s Court. The US Department of Justice is also looking into whether the law discriminates against minority groups who lack the photo ID required by the law. The lawsuit is expected to be ruled upon by the Commonwealth Court in August. Depending on that ruling, the case may be appealed and subject to further consideration in the state’s court system.

Rhode Island
One form of identification is required. It may be a non-photo ID (birth certificate, utility bill, etc.) Photo ID will be required beginning January 1, 2014.

South Carolina
South Carolina passed a strict photo ID requirement in 2011. However under the Voting Rights Act, South Carolina, as a state with historical voting rights discrimination, must attain pre-clearance from the Department of Justice. The pre-clearance has not been issued, therefore the current non-photo requirements remain in place.

South Dakota
Photo ID is required. A person without a photo ID may cast a ballot after signing a voter affidavit.

Tennessee
Photo ID is required. A person without photo ID may cast a ballot after signing a voter affidavit. The voter must present photo ID by the end of the second day after the election for the ballot to become non-provisional.

Texas
Texas recently passed a strict photo ID requirement. However under the Voting Rights Act, Texas, as a state with historical voting rights discrimination, must attain pre-clearance from the Department of Justice. The pre-clearance has not been issued, therefore the current non-photo requirements remain in place.

Utah
One form of identification is required. It may be a non-photo ID (birth certificate, utility bill, etc.)

Vermont
No identification requirements.

Virginia
One form of identification is required. It may be a non-photo ID (birth certificate, utility bill, etc.) Virginia added additional acceptable forms of ID in 2012 to include: student ID, copy of current utility bill, and a concealed handgun permit. Virginia must attain pre-clearance as a state with historical voting rights discrimination. Pre-clearance has not yet been granted.

Washington
One form of identification is required. It may be a non-photo ID (birth certificate, utility bill, etc.)

West Virginia
No identification requirements.

Wisconsin
No current identification requirements. The Wisconsin legislature passed a photo identification law in 2011, but this law was held unconstitutional by the state courts in 2012. The Wisconsin Department of Justice has appealed the ruling, and the case has been sent to the Court of Appeals. If the ruling is overturned, it is possible the law would be effective for the 2012 elections in November.

Wyoming
No identification requirements.