Posted on 01/15/2009 6:56:08 PM PST by St. Louis Conservative
AUSTIN — Texas voters could soon be required to present a photo ID before casting a ballot during elections, but the measure won't be approved without a major partisan fight in the state Legislature.
Voter ID, as its known at the capitol, may not be a top concern for recession-weary Texans. But it's a huge deal in the Legislature, where Republicans say it's crucial to stop ballot fraud and Democrats complain it's all about erecting hurdles to keep their base voters away from the polls.
This week Senate Republicans — who have a 19-12 majority in the chamber — forced a rules change removing procedural roadblocks on the bill. Their successful effort to exempt the Voter ID legislation from filibuster rules all but ensures its passage in the Senate, whose presiding officer, Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, could use a conservative victory as he eyes higher office.
But it could drop a volatile political bombshell onto the desk of House Speaker Joe Straus, the San Antonio Republican who won office after promising that heavy-handed tactics and overt partisanship would exit the House along with the man he dethroned, Rep. Tom Craddick of Midland.
The Texas Democratic Party, which is opposed to the legislation, said Straus had an "excellent opportunity" to prove his bipartisan credentials by keeping Voter ID measures off the House floor. But some Republicans are hoping to debate it and pass it into law. Straus spokeswoman Angela Hale repeated the new speaker's mantra — not unlike the old speaker's mantra — that he would let the members decide what's important.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
>> Republicans say it’s crucial to stop ballot fraud and Democrats complain it’s all about erecting hurdles to keep their base voters away from the polls
They’re both saying the same thing, really. The dimocrap base IS fraud. Nice to see them agree on something...
>> The Texas Democratic Party, which is opposed to the legislation, said Straus had an “excellent opportunity” to prove his bipartisan credentials by keeping Voter ID measures off the House floor.
Strauss is a RINO pussy. He’ll do whatever the ‘rats tell him to do.
ping
The RATS will fight it because the illegals are the ones that keep the RATS in power in the style that they’ve grown accustomed to. This also occurs at the national level too.
Every state legislature needs to do this and we need to counteract and defeat the Secretary of State project.
There is no reason, absent a scheme to defraud, to contest a voter identification requirement. Every single citizen of every single state needs to contact their state legislators and get these laws passed for the next general election.
I always offer to show my ID as it is because I think that it is only proper to do so.
In Missouri, we have to present ID when we vote. I think it’s a great idea and it’s very comforting to know that IDs are being checked.
I hope they pass this in Texas. That would prevent illegal immigrants from voting. I don’t know what ever gave liberals the idea that non-citizens should be allowed to participate in our elections....
think thbis has a chance in Haiti of becoming law?
This is THE ONLY important bill this session!
We’ve got plenty of money in the treasury, schools are OK, the Oklahomans are mostly staying north of the Red River - this is the ONLY pressing business our legislators have!
We have massive voter fraud here in WI since no ID is required. Dems simply go from one polling place to another and vote all they want. Saw it in Nov. at my little rural polling place. There were dirty hippies from Liberal Utopia of Madison,WI at my country polling place. They voted without any problem. We have had elections where Repubs lost by a very small margin, and if there were no fraud Repubs would have won some major elections here in the past. Dems are in control here, no ID will be required until they are not in control, which may never happen.
We don’t have voter ID in Missouri. We used to have one, but the Democrats got the law overturned in court.
Well, the GOP controls the Texas house, senate, and governor’s chair, so I’d say it stands a chance. The GOP’s majority in the house is only two seats, though.
The Texas House has elected a RINO Speaker with Democrat support. So, they don’t really ‘control’ it all that much.
Yes, that is the only roadblock. We’ll see if it can be overcome.
we will all go to Austin and sing! “We shall overcome!”
But then again, when is anything that is right, simple?
The voter ID requirement can’t really stop all the voter fraud going on but it does make it a lot tougher for the Commie ‘RATS to do it.
Already present my ID without being asked. I consider it a privilege.
>> this is the ONLY pressing business our legislators have
They will be trying to implement a state Income Tax this year. Hide and watch.
Here in Texas one must present a photo ID to participate in a democratic party caucus during primary elections.
How can ACORN even function if this becomes law?
I think each individual should have to go to their precincts offices to register armed with birth certificates, citizenship papers etc. At that time, they should get a finger print digitized. Before the election each district should verify that that name, ssn, and fingerprint are unique. People who are known to have multiple addresses should be double checked with the other districts. At voting time, you scan your fingerprint, you get checked off at the precinct, and that data is sent to all other states you might vote in. You also get your finger ink. If you cannot go in to do your registration, you can call a number and have election workers come to you. If you have to vote early, you have to go to registration place and do it personally. If you cannot do that, such as military voters then there should be strictly enforced protocols. I have absolutely no problem using my tax dollars to support this. If this is too much effort to go through to vote for someone, then that person shouldn’t be voting in the first place.
Texans might want to get some tips from Georgia. GA went round and round with the libs. Rewrote the law at least once IIRC.
Finally wrote a law that stood up in court. Libs are beside themselves, naturally, yelling about all the poor disenfranchised votes. HA!
Let’s see.
Only Democrats oppose verifying the status of voters.
It’s not rocket science figuring out why.
Code for "how fast can a Republican pull down his pants and bend over"?
Typical Chronicle reporting. Last session the bill was voted in for consideration. Dewhurst let the Democrats have another vote in order to block the bill. No one calls Dewhurst conservative, many refuse to call him a Republican.
There is a good chance, in spite of Dewhurst, that this bill will be brought to the floor this year. With the Republican majority it may pass.
I agree 100%. Current Texas voting policy reminds me of the movie “Clerks” when Dante leaves money on the counter in the convenience store and lets people make their own change. It’s lunacy.
Typical Chronicle reporting. Last session the bill was voted in for consideration. Dewhurst let the Democrats have another vote in order to block the bill. No one calls Dewhurst conservative, many refuse to call him a Republican.
There is a good chance, in spite of Dewhurst, that this bill will be brought to the floor this year. With the Republican majority it may pass.
Lone Star state resident here... this is a very good thing... the bleeding heart democraps shouldn't complain... they were confronted with it in the last session.
Now they're crying that the Texas senate rules were changed so that debate can finally hit the floor instead of being bottled up.
Seriously... rules are rules... they're not part of the Texas Constitution. Just because a rule has been around for decades does NOT mean it is the law of Texas.
I wouldn't be surprised if the sissy democraps hightail it off to OK or NM like they did during redistricting.
No voter ID in Minnesota here, either....which would explain Franken.
I’m confused here. Whenever I have voted in Texas, I have presented my voter’s registration card which bears my signature. I then have to sign a voter’s roll and the election judges compare the signatures. If a person does not have their voter’s registration with them, they may still vote by presenting a valid driver’s license with the same address as that on the registered voter’s list. If the addresses do not match, they are given a provisional ballot.
So I’m not sure what this fight is all about. Unless my county is the only one doing it properly.......
I know for a fact the rats hate this measure. I’ve been an election clerk in Texas for years, but this last presidental election was it for me. I won’t be back.
The dems totally rely on people who aren’t valid voters. Their damn poll watcher violated every rule in the book until I called the Republican party to get their own poll watcher there. The dem poll watcher totally intimidated the older election judge. Needless to say we had a yelling match.
This stupid cow wanted us to violate election law so we wouldn’t “disenfranchise” the idiots who had no id, no registration card, nothing. She sure didn’t want us to have their ballots be marked provisional. Which of course they were marked.
I have nothing but consuming disgust for the dems and their low brow, hateful corruption of our election process.
I will be calling my state reps about this.
For my actions I got called a racist and worse.
“I think each individual should have to go to their precincts offices to register armed with birth certificates, citizenship papers etc. At that time, they should get a finger print digitized.”
In addition each individual should be required to pass a civics test.
http://www.americancivicliteracy.org/resources/quiz.aspx
Its not just illegals, it is the likes of ACORN who register American citizens multiple times.
We don’t need any voter ID here in California, none. But then again we have a Mexican mayor here in LA.
What are the unintended consequences?
Yo nu Prez!
I've never seen anyone put up an objection... I guess it is S.O.P. in Collin county... maybe way south of here folks get a little upity if they're asked to prove they're citizens prior to attempting to cast a vote(s).
Unless my county is the only one doing it properly.......
That maybe the problem in that many areas don’t follow the rules. I never carry a registration card with me to the polls as I usually vote early when I happen to be passing close to a location. I just use my drivers license as proof of address and person and sign the books. No problem.
I’m not sure how prevelant fake drivers licenses or fake Texas IDs are but I know they exist. Thus with one a photo ID requirement doesn’t stop the voting.
I won’t be back...
Thanks for your service and I’m sorry to see you go as it sounds like you were doing the job as required.
Do you have any idea what Operation Chaos was about? It was to keep Hillary around to beat up Obama. Without O.C. Hillary would have been out in March. Operation Chaos weakened BHO, it did not propel him to victory.
I live in Plano too. Small world. I’m never asked for an ID as long as I have my current voter’s registration card. I usually vote at the Methodist Church at Coit & Parker when I early vote. I think the primary last year was at the Haggard Library.
I don’t see why requesting a picture ID is such a bad idea. Voting is too important for the results to be skewed by cheaters.
I bet we’ve crossed paths... Coit and Parker is where I vote too.
Very possibly.
Nice to “meet” you!
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