Veteran Cards Now Valid for Same-Day Voting Registration

SAINT PAUL — Today, Secretary of State Steve Simon announced that he has added the Veteran Identification Card to the list of acceptable photo identification documents Minnesotans can now use for same-day voter registration, which like all other photo identification documents that do not contain an address must be combined with an authorized proof of residence.

The addition of the Veteran ID Card is expected to benefit over 115,000 Minnesotans and was enacted via an administrative rule-making process.

“We should be doing everything we can to make it as easy as possible for the men and women who have served our country to vote, and that’s what we’re doing today,” said Secretary Simon. “In many cases, a Veteran Identification Card may be the only form of current identification veterans may have in their possession, and now they will be allowed to use it when registering to vote on Election Day.”

Currently, 32 states (including Minnesota) and the District of Columbia accept the Veteran ID Card as a form of either primary or secondary identification for voting.

Veteran ID Cards are issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system. The cards contain a photo of the individual and the individual’s full name. They are used to access health benefits through the VA.

For a complete list of approved photo identification and proof of residence documents Minnesotans can use for same day registration, click here.