Nevada Legislature: Senate Republicans introduce voter identification bill

Nevada Republicans introduced a bill on Tuesday that would require voters to show identification at the ballot box.

Republican Sen. James Settelmeyer introduced SB169, which would require proof of identification in order to vote and provide for free voter identification cards.

The bill lists acceptable forms of identification, including driver’s licenses and other government-issued identification cards, and requires the state Department of Motor Vehicles to provide free identification cards to voters who don’t have another way of verifying their identity.

The bill would also allow voters without identification to cast a provisional ballot which would be counted after they show identification at a county or city clerk’s office.

Democratic Sen. Aaron Ford said the bill was unnecessary and would discourage citizens from participating in the electoral process.

“We think it’s a humongous waste of taxpayer dollars for a problem that doesn’t exist,” the Las Vegas Democrat said.