An Act ensuring the election integrity through voter identification

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Colleen Garry

The bill would require voters to show specific photo IDs at the polls or be barred from voting.

Accompanied a study order, see H5311 (under House Rule 27)

Overview

H 833, introduced February 27, 2025 by Rep. Colleen M. Garry, proposes to strengthen election integrity by tightening voter identification requirements at polling places in Massachusetts. The bill is currently scheduled for a public hearing on July 8, 2025 (1:00 PM–4:00 PM, Room B-1). The measure has been referred to the Committee on Election Laws and is part of a related set of proposals in the 2025-2026 session (HD 3562 replaces earlier versions; similar matter filed in 2023-2024 as HD 687).

Key Provisions and Changes

Amendment to Section 76, Chapter 54:
Election officers must:

Ask each voter for their full name and current residence address and repeat the information back to the voter.
Require identification from the following list:
Commonwealth of Massachusetts voter registration card
Social security card
Valid Massachusetts driver’s license
Any other identification card issued by a government agency of the Commonwealth, its political subdivisions, or the United States
Any valid employee identification card containing a photograph issued by the voter’s employer in the ordinary course of the employer’s business

Replacement of Section 76B, Chapter 54:
The proposed new Section 76B states: “Any person desiring to vote who fails to present suitable identification shall not be permitted to vote.”
This establishes a strict identification requirement for voting.

Who Is Affected

Voters at polling places: Must present one of the specified forms of identification to vote; without suitable ID, they would be prohibited from voting under the bill’s terms.

Election officers and poll workers: Responsible for verifying identity by the specified process and maintaining the new identification standard at polling places.

Public agencies and employers: Potentially affected as issuers of acceptable IDs (government agencies, employers issuing photo IDs) under the revised rules.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

Introduced: February 27, 2025.

Legislative actions: Referred to the Committee on Election Laws on February 27, 2025; Senate concurred on the same date; a hearing is scheduled for July 8, 2025 (1:00 PM–4:00 PM) in Room B-1.

Status: Standing bill in the 2025-2026 session; related bill HD 3562 is the current replacement version and there is a historical reference to HD 687 from the 2023-2024 session.

Additional Notes

The bill aligns with a prior pattern of proposing stricter identification to vote, as indicated by the related bills and prior filing history.

No provisional voting or alternative accommodations are specified in the text provided; the bill’s language emphasizes the necessity of suitable ID to cast a ballot.

Bill