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ABC News host Jonathan Karl challenged Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., on Sunday about whether Virginia requires photo identification to vote as the two debated the Democratic Alliance’s opposition to the SAVE America Act.
Karl began the exchange by asking Warner whether his party should support national photo identification requirements for voter registration and voting, citing broad public support for the policy.
“Now, I understand that you and I think that every other Democrat is against this so-called SAVE America Act. And there are many reasons that you put forward. But let me ask you a little bit about the photo ID issue, requiring a photo ID to register to vote, to vote. Is this something that the Democrats should pursue?” Karl asked on “This week.”
ABC’s Jon Karl challenged Sen. Mark Warner after saying that Virginia has voter requirements and photos. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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Karl then cited statistics in support of the SAVE America Act and Warner pointed to his country’s laws and began to describe his experience before an ABC News host interrupted him.
“You know what? In Virginia, we have voter ID and photo ID,” Warner said.
“That’s not true,” said Karl. “I mean, I’m a Virginia voter. You don’t have to show photo ID in Virginia. There’s a variety of things you can show on ID, and if you don’t show one of those, you can sign an affidavit that says, proving-”
“You can sign an affidavit,” Warner said.
Karl said that an affidavit is not required.
“Those are votes that, if you want to contest later, can be challenged. But…we have some form of voter ID,” Warner said.
Warner said Virginia has “voter ID of one form or another” even though the state allows non-photo documents. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Under Virginia law, election officials must ask voters themselves, but acceptable forms include voter identification documents, utility bills, bank statements, government checks and checks, which do not require a photo. A voter without acceptable identification can sign an Identity Verification Statement under criminal penalties and cast a regular ballot. Voters who provide an alternative must file a provisional ballot.
Virginia’s voter registration application required applicants to verify their citizenship and provide a Social Security number if they have one but did not require photo identification.
When Karl asked if the ID should be a national standard, Warner said he could support a government-issued ID if authorized documents were used in the same way, but argued that a broader law would prevent voting.
The SAVE America Act would require proof of citizenship to register and photo identification to vote in federal elections. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
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“If you can show any government-stamped photo, that would be fine,” Warner said. “If you’re going to have an ID pool, let’s have it all over the country as long as it’s from some legitimate place, but this is not about voter ID. The SAVE Act is about voter disenfranchisement.”
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A 2025 Pew Research Center poll found that 83% of Americans favor government-issued photo identification, including 71% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents and 95% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents.
The SAVE America Act would require proof of citizenship to register for federal elections, proper photo identification before voting and states to remove non-citizens from voter rolls. The House first passed it 218-213 in February, with Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, joining the Republicans.
