LANSING- The once-unenforceable 1996 law, which requires all voters to present photo identification at polls, will be enforced during Nov. 3 elections.

But what happens to those individuals who fail to bring a photo ID with them, or those who just don’t have one?

“People without photo ID and who are not in the polling book do not receive a ballot to vote,” said Fred Woodhams, publicist for the Secretary of State’s office.

Kelly Chesney, director of communications at the Secretary of State’s office, added that there are myths that people would be turned away if they don’t have an ID. When the law was passed, it was intended to make sure people were voting in their correct districts.

“Those who forget IDs can sign an affidavit, and if they are in the polling book, receive regular ballots,” she said.

However, if an individual is not in the polling book, he or she will receive a provisional ballot. This gives them six days to present the identification to election officials, Woodhams added.

The time period allows the voters time to verify their status in that district. If the information isn’t received or is incorrect, the ballot is discarded.

The Civil Rights Department argues that the state rules shouldn’t go into effect until there’s a public hearing by voting citizens.

But George Wirth, of the department’s legal office, said that there isn’t much the department can do but appeal to the U.S. Justice Department. The Secretary of State’s office should hear what citizens think about the voter ID rules, he said.

Civil Rights isn’t the only critic of the requirements.

Sen. Deborah Cherry, D- Burton, proposed a bill to change the requirements, Cherry’s legislative assistant Angela Clock said. “There needs to be more access to the polls.”

Cherry wants to remove part of the 1996 law that requires a voter to sign an application so the signature can be matched against previous election affidavits.

If the application signature isn’t the same, or there is no signature on file at the office, then the vote is challenged and discarded under current regulations.