As states across the country took steps this week to make voting easier in light of the novel coronavirus, the Republican-controlled legislature in Kentucky approved a new measure requiring a government-issued photo ID to vote, prompting an outcry from voting-rights groups.
Lawmakers sent the bill to the governor’s desk before recessing until March 26 because of the pandemic, which claimed a second life in the state Thursday.
Nationally, the spread of the disease has brought public life to a standstill, forcing elections officials to postpone contests and encourage citizens to register their preferences by mail. Kentucky is among the states postponing voting in light of the outbreak, as state officials announced this week that the presidential primary scheduled for May 19 would instead take place on June 23.
