Family members of the chairman of the Alabama GOP have been vexed by state voter identification laws championed by the party for religious reasons, according to a report.
Alabama GOP Chairman John Wahl’s brother explained in a 2016 deposition that he deemed biometric identification measures such as the ones needed for a voter ID to be a mark of “the Beast” prophesied in the Book of Revelation, and he has fought to vote without an ID, AL.com reported.
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“In particular, I object to the biometric nature of IDs in Alabama which started pursuant to the REAL ID Act,” Joshua Wahl explained, according to the outlet. ” And there’s a passage in Revelations 12 where it says that the forthcoming mark of the beast will be a number of a man. Biometrics by its nature is a number of a man. You know, that’s what makes me uncomfortable, and that goes against my convictions.”
Wahl’s extended family reportedly lives on a farm in the northern part of the state. His extended family has battled in court to attain permission to vote after the state enacted a voter ID law in 2014.
In Alabama, people can vote without ID if they have at least two officials sign documentation. Unlike other states, Alabama has no religious exemptions in its requirement. Wahl’s family managed to win an exception in 2014 but has struggled in the time since due to election workers rejecting requests, according to the report.
Wahl’s brother Joshua reportedly testified that he does not possess a Social Security number. Records indicate that most of Wahl’s family, except for John Wahl and his father, have not voted consistently over recent years.
Last April, a lawsuit challenging the state’s voter ID laws was rejected by a judge in the Circuit Court of Appeals. Wahl’s brother Joshua reportedly served as a witness for the lawsuit. John Wahl appeared to cheer the news of the judge’s decision, retweeting a tweet from the state GOP hailing the move.
“A big win for fair elections in Alabama coming out of the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals today, the judges ruling to uphold the state’s voter ID law,” the tweet from the Alabama GOP said.
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Earlier this month, the outlet reported that a poll worker lost his job after demanding John Wahl and his family show ID at the voting booth. Wahl accused the worker of harassing his family. The worker was taken aback by Wahl’s ID, which looked to be issued by the state auditor’s office, according to the report.
John Wahl has been able to vote, but in recent elections, the GOP chairman has used an unusual photo ID that looks like it might be a state employee ID badge, but it’s not.
— Kyle Whitmire (@WarOnDumb) September 27, 2022
The Washington Examiner reached out to the Alabama GOP for comment.
