Washington Post reports: Gov. Robert F. McDonnell has signed a bill that would require voters
to present a photo ID to cast a ballot as soon as fall 2014. McDonnell also issued an executive order directing the State
Board of Elections to implement a plan to inform the public about the
changes. The board also would help people lacking appropriate photo
identification to obtain IDs before the 2014 elections, when the measure
would take effect.
If the Section 4(b) geographic coverage formula and/or Section 5 pre-clearance is declared unconstitutional in Shelby County v. Holder, then Virginia could enforce the new photo voter-ID law. Otherwise, if Section 4(b) and/or Section 5 were ruled constitutional as congruent and proportional to the redundant problem of racial discrimination in suffrage, then VA would obligated to seek administrative or judicial pre-clearance for the new statute.