Driver’s licenses, passports and student IDs are acceptable forms of identification, East Lansing City Clerk Sharon Reid said.

The city decided to implement the policy because it was ruled constitutional by the Michigan Supreme Court earlier this year, she said.

“It’s a 1996 law that the attorney general at the time, Frank Kelley, said was unconstitutional,” Reid said. “Last year, legislators decided to challenge the opinion and took it to the Michigan Supreme Court.”

It’s imperative that the new policy isn’t enforced in a way that intimidates voters, candidate Nathan Triplett said.

“Voter security is obviously important, but it’s also important to make sure that people have free access to the ballot,” he said. “Photo identification requirements can be a real deterrent to people exercising their right to vote.”

As long as people are registered voters in Michigan, the new policy shouldn’t present them with issues — even if they don’t have photo identification, said Kelly Chesney, spokeswoman for Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land.

If someone is a registered voter in Michigan but doesn’t have photo identification, that person can use a legal document like a bank statement or utility bill to prove his or her identity and sign an affidavit declaring the information is truthful, she added.

“Our laws clearly acknowledge and recognize that not all voters will have IDs,” Chesney said. “We provide the opportunity for them to vote. The affidavit process serves as a strong deterrent to voter fraud because if you (lie), it’s a perjury offense. It’s a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment of up to five years, or both.”

Although voter fraud hasn’t been an issue, this law strengthened the election process by ensuring it doesn’t become an issue, Chesney said.

“The Legislature has the ability to pass laws they believe will deter fraud,” Chesney said. “They don’t have to wait for widespread fraud to happen before they can take action.”