As he pushes forward to have a voter identification law approved in Mississippi, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann is trumpeting a survey showing more than 98 percent of voters have valid ID.

     The survey, conducted at polling precincts during the Nov. 6 election, showed 1.7 percent of Mississippians voting in the presidential election either reporting they did not possess adequate voter identification or did not answer the question.

     Hosemann said this survey “without question” improves the chances a voter ID requirement is approved in Mississippi. The state’s voter ID law is currently under review at the U.S. Justice Department, awaiting the needed pre-clearance.

     The secretary of state said there’s no cause for that pre-clearance to be denied.

     Of the state’s voter ID requirements, Hosemann said, “They meet every constitutional test, statutory test, and most of all they meet the common sense test.”

     The survey was compiled from 30 polling locations in the state.

     None were in Lincoln County. Area precincts polled included locations in Natchez, Tylertown and Woodville.

Election data shows approximately 1.2 million Mississippians voted for president in November, so the survey’s results indicate that 20,000 of those voters lacked the proper ID.

     Hosemann is touting plans to ensure voters without proper ID get it free of charge.

     His proposals call for voter ID cards to be provided free of charge to all voters lacking other valid forms of identification, such as a driver’s license, U.S. passport, or student ID.

     Hosemann is also prepared to provide free transportation to local circuit clerks’ offices.

     “If someone can’t for whatever reason get to the circuit clerks, we will take you there,” Hosemann said. “If you give me 30 minutes we’ll pick you up, take you down there and bring you home.”

     In short, he feels there’s no way the state can be accused of putting up barriers to voting.

     “It’s going to be really hard” not to have an ID, Hosemann said. “You’re just going to have to not want a card.”

     He also underlined the fact that should someone attempt to vote and find they’re lacking proper ID, they may vote by affidavit ballot, obtain the proper ID within five days and then validate their vote.

     Voter ID does come with a price tag.

     Transportation and ID cards will be paid for the state. Poll workers will need to be trained in the requirements. Circuit clerks’ offices will need cameras so they can provide the voter ID cards.

     None of these costs will be passed on to counties, Hosemann said.

     “It’s all in my appropriation,” he said, speaking of the secretary of state’s budget.

     When voter ID was approved in 2011 state elections, the Mississippi Legislative Budget Office estimated such a requirement would carry a price tag of $1.5 million.

     He wasn’t willing to provide a number yet, but the secretary of state said the costs are looking less than that.

     “We have a tentative budget for that,” he said. “It is significantly less than was on the ballot.”

     As he continues pushing forward for voter ID, Hosemann remains unimpressed by charges there’s very little voter fraud in the state.

     Some reports indicate less than 40 cases of voter fraud have been handled in the last five years by the Attorney General’s office, much of that involving absentee ballots.

     He did acknowledge voter fraud by absentee vote remains a concern for him.

     Under the proposed voter ID requirements, those absentee voting in person at a clerk’s office will be required to show ID, but those absentee voting by mail won’t have to validate their vote with any ID.

     Hosemann plans to push for legislation next year that would limit the number of absentee ballots a single person may witness to 10, plus family members.

     “We had some people that were witnessing 30, 40, 50 absentee ballots,” Hosemann said. “We think that’s a recipe for mischief.”

     But to the charge voter ID is a solution in search of a problem, Hosemann was blunt.

     “It doesn’t matter,” he said.

     What does matter, he said, is that voters approved the measure and it won’t prevent anyone who wants to from voting.

     “Whether I thought it was important or not, and I did, the people that needed to make the decision voted,” Hosemann said.