Voter ID required in Tuesday's primary - WDAM-TV

HATTIESBURG, MS (WDAM) -

Mississippi's Voter ID law will be put into effect for the first time in Tuesday's primary.

Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann is traveling the state this week to make sure things are in place for the June 3 primary and to remind voters of that change to the voting process.

Acceptable forms of photo identification are as follows, according to the Secretary of State's website (http://msvoterid.ms.gov):

1. A driver's license


2. A photo ID card issued by a branch, department, or entity of the State of Mississippi


3. A United States passport


4. A government employee ID card


5. A firearms license


6. A student photo ID issued by an accredited Mississippi university, college, or community/junior college


7. A United States military ID


8. A tribal photo ID


9. Any other photo ID issued by any branch, department, agency or entity of the United States government or any State government


10. A Mississippi Voter Identification Card

Poll workers are required to ask voters for photo identification before a ballot is issued. Hosemann said if that does not happen, it is a misdemeanor. The Secretary of State's office will have staff placed in all 82 counties for election day to oversee the voting process.

If you do not have a photo ID before election day, you will still be allowed to vote affidavit. After voting affidavit, voters must present a photo ID to the circuit clerk up to seven days after casting a ballot.

A voter ID card is free of charge and issued by circuit clerks. Voters must be registered to vote before applying for a voter ID card. After the application is processed, the card is mailed to the voter.

Those who vote absentee by mail do not have to have photo identification, however if an absentee ballot is cast in person, proper photo identification is required. Overseas and uniformed military workers who vote absentee by e-mail or fax are also not required to show a photo ID.

If you are in need of free travel assistance in order to apply for a voter ID card, call 1-844-MS-VOTER (1-844-67-86837).

There is no deadline for voters to receive proper photo identification.

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