New ID Policies in Place for Upcoming Election

In 2012 changes were made to Virginia's voter identification laws. Virginia voters are reminded that state law requires all voters to provide an acceptable form of identification (ID) at the polls. Voters arriving to the polls without ID will be required to vote a provisional ballot and will have until noon on the Friday after the election to deliver a copy of identification to their locality's electoral board in order for their provisional ballot to be counted. Please see below in "Provisional Ballot Process for Voters Who Arrive Without Identification" for more information on how the provisional ballot process will work for those arriving to the polls without ID.

Virginia's ID requirements also apply to absentee voters who vote in-person. Please see below in "Special Federal ID Requirements for Certain First Time Voters"for other potential special cases for first-time voters.

Acceptable forms of identification include the following:

•Virginia voter registration card

•Valid Virginia driver's license

•Military ID

•Any Federal, Virginia state or local government-issued ID

•Employer issued photo ID card

•Concealed handgun permit

•Valid student ID issued by any institution of higher education located in the Commonwealth of Virginia

•Current utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck indicating the name and address of the voter
•Social Security card (*please see below as the social security card does not satisfy special federal ID requirements)

A voter who does not bring an acceptable ID to the polls will be offered a provisional ballot.

AFBF President Bob Stallman: Your Democracy, Your Vote, Your Responsibility

AFBF President
Bob Stallman

Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 is a very important day. Not because a Democrat may be reelected as the U.S. President or because a Republican may ascend to the office. Tuesday Nov. 6 is significant because on that day we will all have a say in the future direction of our government as we cast our votes at ballot boxes across America.

Because many brave Americans have fought to ensure this inalienable right, it is all of our responsibility as citizens to uphold it by engaging in the political process. This is crucial to a functioning democracy. George Bernard Shaw best stated this sentiment when he said, “Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.”

Road to the White House

At the top of the political rung this election are two qualified candidates seeking the presidency. And while the American Farm Bureau remains bipartisan and does not support one candidate over the other, we are most definitely politically active. We encourage Farm Bureau members to study the issues and assess how each of these two candidates would treat U.S. agriculture and our rural communities.

President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney recently took time to answer an AFBF questionnaire on important agricultural issues and how their administrations would work with farmers and ranchers. From the past four years, we know where President Obama has stood on many Farm Bureau priority issues. For example, he has shown his support for AFBF-supported trade agreements, home grown energy sources and passage of the farm bill. But, he has also overseen the Environmental Protection Agency’s power grab on environmental issues impacting farmers.

Obama & Romney Outline Positions on Farm Issues



Photo by Scout Tufankjian

President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney recently spelled out their positions on agriculture issues for the American Farm Bureau Federation. In a questionnaire, both candidates went into detail about their positions on energy, environmental regulations, farm labor and more.

Every four years, the American Farm Bureau Federation asks the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees to address the issues that concern farmers and ranchers most. This election, energy issues and farm policy are the driving forces in the candidate’s responses.

“Our rural communities, farmers and ranchers can increase our energy independence and boost the transition to a clean energy economy,” Obama responded. “Last year, rural America produced enough renewable fuels like ethanol and biodiesel to meet roughly 8 percent of our needs, helping us increase our energy independence to its highest level in 20 years…and the new Renewable Fuel Standard helped boost biodiesel production to nearly 1 billion gallons in 2011, supporting 39,000 jobs.”

Romney, too, supports the RFS and other agriculture-derived energies.