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Voter ID Proposal Raising Eyebrows
Local

A battle is brewing in the state's capitol and the outcome could mean big changes the next time you vote in an election.

What voters are required to show at polling places could soon change. if some texas lawmakers get their way.

"Its a solution in search of a problem," says Stephen Jabbour, Victoria County Democratic Party Chairman.

Its a problem that supporters of a i-d requirement say has a simple solution, that'll ensure the person marking the ballot is who they say they are.

And though lawmakers in the texas senate are pushing for the bill, voter fraud is not so much of an issue everywhere across the state.

"We have not necessarily had major problems with people showing up. There's only been 1 or 2 instances over the past 6 years where someone used someone else's ID to come in and vote,"says Victoria County Elections Administrator, George Matthews.

At the Victoria County Elections office voters are asked to bring their voter registration cards, but officials say 50 to 60 percent of area voters usually use their driver's license as a form of i-d.

A version of the bill, has already passed in the state's Senate, but still needs to get by the house of representatives.

The senate bill would require voters to show some sort of picture ID such as a drivers license. But if voters don't have a photo ID they'll need two alternate forms, a proposal that has political parties butting heads.


Those in opposition however, say the proposal has a problem- its meant to keep certain voters away from the polls.

"To suppress the vote that they think would lean Democratic. That would be the minority voters people of color, Hispanics, and also older voters," says Jabbour.

And barring those voters through the proposed legislation would hurt what jabbour says is a change in the state's political demographic, which in recent years has made democratic gains.

And while this proposal is far from reaching a solution, the debate is also far from being over.