S.C. gives voter ID bill final approval

Gov. Nikki Haley can now finalize the voter photo ID bill.

COLUMBIA -- State or military photo identification will be required to vote in South Carolina under legislation heading to Gov. Nikki Haley's desk.

With a 26-16 vote, South Carolina's senators adopted a compromise version of the legislation that the House agreed to two weeks ago. The vote broke along party lines, with Republicans supporting it and Democrats voting against it.

To vote, people will have to show a state or military ID, a passport or new voter registration cards with pictures the state will issue. If they don't, they can cast a provisional ballot. They have to show a photo ID at their county voting office a couple of days later to have that vote counted.

Republican Haley has pushed the legislation for months, and it was a top priority for the GOP in the House and Senate. They say the bill is about voter integrity.

Democrats say it suppresses turnout by minority, disabled and elderly voters who lack a license, and they argued educating people on the measure and supplying a free photo ID will be expensive.

Sen. Brad Hutto, an Orangeburg Democrat, said the legislation is destined for court challenges.

"What this bill does is institutionalizes voter suppression," Hutto said.

He said a list of 178,000 voters that don't have photo identification will create problems because it is an invasion of privacy and creates the potential for identity theft.

Sen. Chip Campsen, an Isle of Palms Republican, said Democrats created that problem by insisting on the creation of the list to help identify people who don't have the credentials needed to vote.

Senate Democrats had gone along with the legislation because their version of the bill created early voting in South Carolina. The House refused to go along with that measure but is considering separate legislation to allow early voting.