EASTON, Md. — The Easton Town Council is considering an idea that could change who's eligible to vote in future town elections, though officials stress the concept is still in its earliest stages.
The idea to require voter ID in town elections was raised during a town workshop earlier this month. Council member Robert Rankin said the proposal is just a concept at this point.
Rankin said the town is in the process of updating its town code, which lays out the town's rules and regulations, and part of that update includes a section on campaigns. He said while it's reasonable to ask a voter to confirm their identity at the polls, any changes would need careful legal review first.
"Before we consider any changes to our current election process, we'd need to make sure that any changes aren't violating any laws or the Constitution. And I don't think we'd want to be doing anything that would disenfranchise or discourage voters from coming out to the polls," Rankin said.
Under current law, Maryland does not require most voters to present identification at the polls to vote. However, anyone registering to vote in Maryland for the first time is required to provide a Maryland driver's license number, MVA identification card or Social Security number.
Part of the town's preliminary discussion has centered on government-issued IDs and whether residents are able to obtain them in a timely manner.
Talbot County NAACP President Richard M. Potter Jr. says the organization opposes the idea of what he calls a ‘blanket photo ID requirement,’ for municipal elections.
In a statement, he said, in part: "Election integrity and voter access are not opposing values. A new voting restriction should not be adopted without evidence of a documented problem, a clear legal analysis, and a full understanding of how it could affect eligible voters. What may appear to be a simple requirement can create real challenges for older adults, residents with disabilities, working families, people with limited transportation, and others who may have difficulty obtaining or updating identification. No qualified Easton resident should lose access to the ballot because of an unnecessary administrative barrier.”
Rankin said he is not aware of any instances or claims of voter fraud in the town.
Some folks in town that WBOC spoke with shared concerns.
“I think it's trying to solve a problem that we don't really have,” Al Bond said. “I’m just skeptical that there are a lot of people that are trying to scam the voting system here in Easton. Adding more process to the election workers, feels like it's hard enough to get people to do this work anyway.”
Patty Macdonald said she is concerned that this idea would impact certain members of the community.
"To have to update their license frequently when they don't have transportation, that affects the elderly,” Macdonald said.
Other neighbors said they see both sides of the argument but are focused on equal representation for everyone.
“When I first hear about it, I mean, first hand, I would think it's probably a good idea just because you want to keep it, so to speak, in the house. As far as having the proper people registered to vote in Talbot County,” Cheickna Schmitz said. “But I think it's a very important conversation to have. Because there are limited ways of obtaining an ID if you don't have the financial means to be able to do that.”
Rankin said the town attorney is looking into the legality of the idea, and that no decisions will be made before the November elections.
