Iowa’s Secretary of State says he is sending thousands of Iowans new state-issued Voter I-D cards they’ll need at the polls starting next year. It’s part of Iowa’s controversial new voter I-D law approved by the Republican controlled legislature and signed into law by Governor Terry Branstad.   Secretary of State Paul Pate, a Republican, issued a statement saying the  newly-designed state-issued cards are going out to 123-thousand Iowans.

 

Pate says the cards will be sent out starting this week.

 

Anyone who loses their new voter I-D card will need to contact the county auditor.   Critics say the law will make it harder to vote and voter fraud is rare.     A Secretary of State Spokesman says the mailing will be followed up with public information campaigns with both supporters and opponents of the new law.   A government-issued I-D will be required to vote starting next year.