Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) was fact-checked during a Sunday appearance on ABC’s This Week after discussing Virginia’s voter identification requirements while responding to questions about election security and the proposed SAVE America Act, as reported by PJ Media.
Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, appeared on the program to respond to President Donald Trump’s Thursday night address, during which Trump said American elections have been compromised by foreign influence that has been concealed by what he described as the “Deep State.”
During the interview, ABC host Jon Karl shifted the discussion to the SAVE America Act and asked Warner specifically about voter identification requirements.
“Now, I understand that you and probably every Democrat oppose this so-called SAVE America Act, and there are a lot of reasons that you put forth. But, let me ask you – very narrowly – on the issue of photo ID. Requiring photo ID to register to vote, is this something Democrats should get behind?” Karl asked.
“I mean, 80-something percent of Americans, 71 percent of Democrats, say they favor this.”
Warner responded by pointing to Virginia’s election procedures.
“You know what? In Virginia, we have voter ID and photo ID. I gotta show my –” Warner said before Karl interrupted.
“That’s actually not the case,” Karl replied.
“I mean, I’m a Virginia voter. You don’t need to show a photo ID in Virginia. There are a wide range of things you can show for ID, and if you don’t show on of those, you can sign an affidavit.”
Karl’s response referenced Virginia’s current voting procedures, which allow voters to present several forms of identification.
If a voter does not have an acceptable form of identification at the polling place, the voter may sign an affidavit affirming his or her identity and cast a regular ballot. A voter who declines to sign the affidavit may instead cast a provisional ballot.
Following Karl’s correction, Warner continued discussing the affidavit process.
“You sign an affidavit and those become ballots that, if you want to contest later, can be contested,” Warner said.
The exchange centered on whether Virginia’s existing election law constitutes a photo identification requirement.
Karl maintained during the interview that the state does not require voters to present a photo ID because multiple forms of identification are accepted, and voters without identification may complete an affidavit.
Virginia’s election procedures are outlined by the Virginia Department of Elections. According to the agency, voters who arrive without an acceptable form of identification may sign a statement affirming their identity and receive a regular ballot.
Those who choose not to sign the statement may cast a provisional ballot instead.
The interview focused on voter identification requirements as lawmakers continue to debate the SAVE America Act and broader election integrity proposals.
The discussion also highlighted the ongoing national debate over voter ID laws, which has remained a recurring issue in Congress and state legislatures.
Warner has represented Virginia in the U.S. Senate since 2009 after previously serving as governor of the commonwealth.
Karl’s questions focused specifically on Virginia’s current election procedures and how they compare with the photo identification requirement contained in the proposed federal legislation.
The exchange drew attention because it featured a live disagreement over Virginia election law during a nationally televised interview, with both participants citing the state’s voting procedures while discussing voter identification requirements.
