KY Senate votes to tighten voter ID requirements | whas11.com

FRANKFORT, Ky. — In a 31-7 vote, the Kentucky Senate voted to tighten voter identification requirements.

Kentucky Senate Bill 154 removes social security cards and public benefits cards as secondary forms of ID voters can use at the polls, along with signing an affidavit affirming their identity.

The bill is sponsored by Senator Lindsey Tichenor, who represents Kentucky's 6th district, including Oldham, Trimble, and parts of Jefferson County.

Tichenor says the bill would help prevent voter fraud in the state.

"I think we need to have strong voter ID laws," she said. "I think the value of the vote is so important, we don't need to have any loophole where possible fraud could happen. So, we're just closing that up and making sure that we protect each person's vote."

Kentucky Sen. Cassie Chambers Armstrong was one of seven senators to vote against the bill in Monday’s Senate session. She represents the 19th District, which includes part of Jefferson County.

She says there is not a single election fraud investigation active in the state of Kentucky.

"It makes it harder for folks to vote, and it does that by taking away a lawful means of voting that we haven't seen any problems with," Chambers Armstrong said.

She said 1,000 people voted with social security cards in the last election.

"We know social security cards are an especially secure means of identification. You can use them for things like getting a Real ID or as a secondary form of identification for getting a passport," Chambers Armstrong said.

Chambers Armstrong said she worries the legislation will make it harder for vulnerable people or people in rural counties to vote, citing the challenges to get a real ID in Kentucky.

Tichenor said she has been fighting the same issue.

"I've been fighting that issue of our regional Driver's Licensing centers for the last couple of years," Tichenor said. "I'm a firm believer that we need to return to counties and not make it challenging for people to get a driver's license. However, there are other forms of ID aside from driver's licenses that you can use to vote, so it's not strictly driver's licenses, so as long as they have that photo ID that's approved by our board of elections, then they'll be able to vote."

Tichenor said the bill would make Kentucky a strict photo ID voting state.

Nick Storm, Director of Communications for Kentucky Secretary of State Michael Adams, said Adams is neutral on the bill.

Sharing this statement:

"Typically, 98% of voters use a driver’s license as qualifying Photo ID. He is neutral on the bill because it would not appreciably protect election security or harm voters.”

The bill is now heading to the Kentucky House of Republicans.