Harvey Peeler

Hours of sitting through a Democrat blocking machine paid off today when the Senate passed H. 3003, the voter ID bill. It marks the second time in as many years that voter ID has passed both chambers, though last year an agreement could not be worked out between the House and the Senate. Prospects look better for this session if House members agree to make voting more accessible instead of making voters take off hours from work to stand in long lines on Election Day.

“We put our heads down, worked hard, and came through for the people of South Carolina today,” Sen. Chip Campsen, lead sponsor of the Senate companion bill, said. “Voter ID will help secure our state’s elections and remove doubt about the legitimacy of the final result.”

In all aspects of people’s lives, they have to show an ID to gain access or complete a transaction. A person needs to do that when buying some certain types of medication, writing a check or using a credit card, buying alcohol and cigarettes, and other matters. To make sure money isn’t an issue, the $5 fee for purchasing an ID from the Department of Motor Vehicles will be waved.

In a modification from the way the bill passed in the House, it now includes an early voting provision to make voting more accessible. Republican Senators are hopeful that members of the House will go along with early voting, instead of making voters stand in long lines on Election Day. People shouldn’t have to take time off work to spend hours in line. To ensure that older voters, many of whom are living in assisting living facilities, can still vote, an amendment was added to wave the identification requirement for anyone born on or before January 1, 1947.

During this session and the last, Senate Democrats used parliamentary maneuvering and reams of amendments to try and kill the passage of the bill though stringing out debate. That effort fell short, however. Once an agreement is made with the House and the legislation is signed into law by Gov. Nikki Haley, South Carolinians will have to show a photo identification before voting.

“We told the people of South Carolina that we were committed to securing our elections while also making voting more accessible, and I’m happy to say we came through,” Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler said. “We’re going to keep building on these accomplishments to make government more responsive and accountable.”