House Bill 218, which would require citizens to present a photo ID to vote, passed 76-68 yesterday in the House, despite having six and a half hours of debate and 30 amendments thrown at it (mostly by Democrats), 13 of which were adopted. Check Thursday’s issue of the Chronicle for a more detailed report, but here are the essentials you need to know: Republicans support the bill because they insist it would protect the integrity of voting and prevent fraud, including keeping illegal aliens out of the ballot box (um, yeah … because there have been so many calls to make the day-labor center a polling place?); Democrats attack the bill with claims that it will be a barrier to minorities and the elderly, groups that are less likely to have a photo ID. And, they add, it is a solution in search of a problem – cases of fraud through voter impersonation are almost nonexistent, they say. Now the bill moves to the other chamber, where Sen. Rodney Ellis has vowed that it will never reach the Senate floor.
This article appears in April 20 • 2007.