Proponents said the goal was to prevent election fraud. They said the law was race-neutral and that no one lost the right to vote.

Hudson ruled: “While the merits of this voter identification law, and indeed all aspects of Virginia’s voting regime, can be reasonably debated, it remains true that Virginia has created a scheme of laws to accommodate all people in their right to vote. From in-person voting, to an absentee option, to provisional ballots with the ability to cure, and the provision of free voter IDs, Virginia has provided all of its citizens with an equal opportunity to participate in the electoral process.”

Witnesses testified in March on both sides of the issue. There was little, if any, evidence that either voter fraud was a problem warranting the ID requirements, or that any eligible voter was denied the right to vote — although witnesses for both sides also said that many of the problems are hidden or not apparent.

Voters without valid identification can obtain a free photo voter ID card at a local registrar’s office.

Anyone who shows up at the polls without proper ID is allowed to cast a provisional ballot that is counted later, after they are “cured” by presenting valid ID to the registrar’s office in person or via fax or email.