IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Nearly 1 percent of voters in Iowa’s largest counties did not show identification during the June 5 primary under a new state law, prompting critics to warn that the requirement could disenfranchise some voters in elections beginning next year.

At least 1,198 voters signed oaths affirming their identities because they did not have, or refused to show a driver’s license or other ID accepted under the law, according to figures provided to The Associated Press by the 10 counties with the highest turnout. They accounted for 0.83 percent of 144,000 ballots cast for which the data was collected.

The primary was the first statewide election in which pre-registered voters were asked to show a state-issued ID, passport, military or veteran ID or free voter card before casting ballots, under the law approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature last year. Previously, those voters only had to give their names and addresses to poll workers.

As part of a gradual rollout of the new law, voters without IDs in 2018 are being allowed to sign an “Oath of Identification” attesting that they are who they say they are. The oath option will remain available in the November election, which features competitive races for governor and at least two Republican-held U.S. House seats.
But in 2019 when there will be local races, the option of signing an oath will go away.

In 2019 under the law, voters without IDs will be allowed to have other registered voters, such as a spouse or neighbor accompanying the person, attest to their identity. Otherwise, they will be required to cast provisional ballots that would be counted only if they take steps to establish proof of their identities by the next Monday at noon.

In a filing Wednesday, lawyers for voting rights advocates who are challenging the law argued it will impose “significant” new burdens to participation that will fall disproportionately on voters who are young, low-income and minority. State lawyers have asked for the suit to be dismissed.