COLUMBIA (WACH, AP) -- South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley signed a bill Wednesday that requires people to have a state or military photo identification card before voting.
Republicans say the bill is crucial to avoiding election fraud. Democrats say the measure will suppress voter turnout. They cite state data that shows 178,000 registered voters don't have a driver's license.
Those voters will be able to get state-issued ID cards for free. But opponents say that getting the cards will have other expenses including tracking down birth certificates or divorce records.
The SC Progressive Network was on hand after the bill signing to announce a campaign to stop the law from taking effect.
"This law will prevent thousands of South Carolinians from voting," said Network Director Brett Bursey in a release. "Since there is no evidence of individuals pretending to be someone else at the polls, the clear intent of this law - passed by a Republican party line vote - is to suppress the vote of poor people and minorities, who historically vote Democrat."
Republican legislators counter by saying there is an issue of voter integrity. Lexington Representative Rick Quinn says the legislation would crack down on voter fraud that is going on.
"We've had instances for example, where one person turned in over 500 absentee ballots themselves in an election recently," Quinn says.
The U.S. Justice Department is expected to review the new law because of South Carolina's past voter rights violation history.
Watch the entire bill signing below.
What do you think about the bill? Vote in the poll below and leave a comment to weigh in.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWACH