RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Gov. Bob McDonnell signed new polling place identification requirements into law and along with it has ordered new voter ID cards sent to every registered Virginia voter.
The voting requirements were updated by the Republican General Assembly this year and decried by Democrats and minorities as a voter suppression effort. The legislation requires voters to show valid identification at the polls. Supporters said it was a way to crack down on election fraud.
The bill forces voters who don't show ID to cast a provisional ballot to be counted after the election only if voters can validate their identity with local registrars.
With the bill, a McDonnell executive order directs the State Board of Elections to send out new voter ID cards statewide at a cost of about $1.3 million.
