West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey says he wants West Virginia’s voting laws to be as simple as possible, and for voters to know they now need to bring photo identification with them to the polls when they go to vote.

“No photo ID, no vote,” Morrisey said as he conducted a ceremonial signing Thursday in Charleston of House Bill 3016.

The legislation requires voters when they go to the polls to present photo identification before receiving a ballot.

“This is just common sense,” he continued. “You need a photo ID to drive a car, purchase alcohol or get on a plane. Why shouldn’t you need one to vote in an election?”

Previously, voters only needed to show identification indicating their address when they went to vote. The new law requires photo identification.

Those not having identification still will be permitted to cast a ballot, but it will be considered a provisional vote subject to challenge at the canvass of ballots that happens the Monday after provisional each election. Election officials during that week will research to determine the eligibility of the voter, Morrisey explained.

“Good stuff,” he said. “With this bill, West Virginians can be even more secure in that they should have confidence in our elections. We can’t afford to sacrifice our elections to mistrust or questionable practices.

“I don’t think this should be controversial. I’m excited to make this a law.”

Accepted forms of photo identification include the following:

• A valid West Virginia driver’s license or valid West Virginia identification card issued by the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles.

• A valid driver’s license issued by a state other than the State of West Virginia.

• A valid United States passport or passport card.

• A valid employee identification card with a photograph of the eligible voter issued by the United States Government or of the State of West Virginia, or by any county, municipality, board, authority, or other political subdivision of West Virginia.

• A valid student identification card with a photograph of the eligible voter issued by an institution of higher education in West Virginia by a West Virginia high school.

• A valid military identification card issued by the United States with a photograph of the person desiring to vote.

• A valid voter registration card that includes the voter’s photograph issued by a county clerk in the State of West Virginia or the Secretary of State.

Present for the ceremonial signing alongside Morrisey was McCuskey, who offered a few words.

The initial version of the Voter ID bill requiring voters to show their address was passed in 2013, with West Virginia leading the way among states with ballot security, according to McCuskey.

“With this bill, what West Virginians can be assured of is that in every election… they will know that only eligible West Virginia voters took part in that election,” he said. “We’ve seen elections come down to two votes. … While it may seem antithetical that many elections aren’t all that close, many of them are.”

Candidates who put the time in while seeking political office should find it encouraging knowing that all who submitted ballots in their election were qualified voters” McCuskey said.

“More important than that, somebody who casted a vote knows their vote isn’t being washed out by someone who was ineligible,” he continued. “This gives people the confidence to go in and vote, and know that their vote was counted.

“This should have the effect of increasing voter turnout. If people know that their elections are secure, it should have the effect of getting more West Virginians out to the polls and increasing turnout numbers.”

Also speaking briefly at the signing were Senate President Randy Smith, House Speaker Roger Hanshaw and the bill’s chief sponsor, Delegate Erica Moore, R-Roane.