Asa Hutchinson Falls Foul of New Voter ID Law

By    |   Tuesday, 20 May 2014 11:44 PM EDT ET

Arkansas gubernatorial candidate Asa Hutchinson was held up voting for himself in early balloting for Tuesday's GOP primary — he forgot the picture identification he needed under the state's controversial new voter ID law.

"I got to the [Benton County clerk's office] and realized I didn't have my driver's license, so I had to have somebody bring it to me and it caused a little bit of a delay, but I was able to go ahead and vote," he told ArkansasNews.

Tuesday's election was the first statewide test of Arkansas' new law requiring voters to show photo identification before casting a ballot. Hutchinson easily defeated Little Rock businessman Curtis Coleman for the Republican nomination and now goes on to battle Democrat Mike Ross in November.

The former congressman found the glitch "humorous," saying he got a good laugh at himself — and confessed he'd had the same kind of delays at airports because he'd forgotten a proper ID.

"I fully support the voter ID law," he declared.

The state Democratic Party, which opposes the law, pounced on the awkward moment.

"We hope Asa's experience at the polls yesterday will cause him to reevaluate the unnecessary burden the voter ID law places on senior citizens, students and those serving in the military," the party said in a statement, the website reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

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Arkansas gubernatorial candidate Asa Hutchinson was held up voting for himself in early balloting for Tuesday's GOP primary — he forgot the picture identification he needed under the state's controversial new voter ID law.
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Tuesday, 20 May 2014 11:44 PM
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