Wyoming's House of Representatives will move forward with a bill that would require voters to show specific identification before voting in-person.
The legislation would require voters to show IDs such as drivers licenses, state issued or tribal ID cards, passports or military ID or a Medicare card, before voting in person.
Supporters of the bill say it will protect and secure Wyoming's elections and prevent fraud, though there are few instances of voter fraud in Wyoming's recent history.
"This is about ensuring our place, our state's place, as the gold standard of the country, and making sure our state believes in our elections which is essential," said the bill's sponsor Casper Rep. Chuck Gray.
Those who oppose the bill say it creates another barrier to vote. Jackson Representative Mike Yin asked the House how the bill would benefit the state's voters.
"If we think our elections are secure to the point there is no voter fraud, then what does this policy do?" he said. "Is it just a response to what's happening on the national level? And if so, does that better Wyoming to implement a policy that doesn't bring any benefit to us because our elections are already secure."
The bill will be debated two more times in the house.
Have a question about this story? Contact the reporter, Catherine Wheeler, at cwheel11@uwyo.edu .
