Maryland already has a voter ID law.

After the Florida recount in the Bush-Gore election, Congress passed the Help America Vote Act.

Compromise was easier to reach on Capitol Hill in 2002 than it is today.

That law requires that an individual applying to register to vote must provide his or her driver’s license number or at least the last four digits of his or her Social Security number when registering to vote.

If an applicant does not have those forms of identification, he or she can use a copy of a current and valid photo identification; any other State or federal government issued ID card; or a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows the individual’s name and address.

Under Maryland law, when someone is voting for the first time or his or her right to vote is challenged at the polls, those same means of identification can be used.

I introduced the bill which made that our law.  I simply copied the federal law for voter registration to our law for challenges at a polling place.

Perhaps the Congress can apply its compromise of 2002 to the voting rights legislation now before it.