Massachusetts House shoots down voter identification amendment; here are the details

BOSTON — During the Massachusetts House of Representatives’ debate on the Fiscal Year 2027 budget (H.5500) on Tuesday, lawmakers rejected an amendment that would have required photo identification to vote in the state.

Amendment #1587, filed by Rep. Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica) and co-sponsored by several other Republicans including Justin Thurber, sought to strengthen election security by mandating that voters show valid government-issued photo ID before receiving a ballot at the polls.

Voters would have needed to present a valid state or federal photo ID (such as a Massachusetts driver’s license, state ID card, U.S. passport, military ID, or firearm ID card) before being issued a ballot. The Secretary of the Commonwealth would also have required to provide free Massachusetts photo ID cards to any registered voter who does not already have one. Lastly, the change would have taken effect on July 1, 2026, with public education efforts and training for election officials.

The amendment aimed to update Section 76 of Chapter 54 of the Massachusetts General Laws, replacing the current process, but was rejected on a near party-line vote. Supporters argued it was a common-sense measure to protect election integrity. Opponents viewed it as an unnecessary barrier to voting, especially since Massachusetts currently has limited ID requirements.