Voter ID Requirements Biased?
By: Morgan Schutters
Updated: March 13, 2012
CANYON, TX. --The Justice Department blocked a Texas voter identification law today.
The new law blocked by the Obama Administration this morning would have required Texas voters to show ID at the polls.
The only way you could get in would be to have Government issued identification handy.
Government officials are saying they blocked the law because it is biased.
They point out, not everyone has a photo I.D.
And we asked local Texans what they thought about the law.
"Its a lot easier to forge a voter registration card than a photo ID. I don't know if I agree with that -I don't see how something proving who you are could be seen as biased," says Canyon Resident Garrett Eggleston.
"I can't understand how it would be biased to require a photo ID when you're voting," says Randall County voter Dale Hansen.
However, it's not a done deal yet.
The Justice Department's decision is not final; Texas has filed suit in federal court asking for permission to enforce the photo ID requirement.
And Local voting registration officials say it helps cut down on voter fraud.
"If you present a valid card, they are to accept you for voting," says Ruthie Poynor, the Randall County Voter Registration Manager.
"Voter fraud's been around many years and if it would cut down on it, that's a good idea." Hansen says.
If the Texas Voter ID law remains blocked, those voting would only be required to present a voter registration certificate to a poll worker to cast their ballot.
In a letter from the U.S. Justice Department to the State of Texas today, officials say the measure could harm, quote: "Hispanics who dis-proportionately lack either a driver's license or a personal identification card."
They say the bill could have a discriminatory effect on many other minority voters.
The new law blocked by the Obama Administration this morning would have required Texas voters to show ID at the polls.
The only way you could get in would be to have Government issued identification handy.
Government officials are saying they blocked the law because it is biased.
They point out, not everyone has a photo I.D.
And we asked local Texans what they thought about the law.
"Its a lot easier to forge a voter registration card than a photo ID. I don't know if I agree with that -I don't see how something proving who you are could be seen as biased," says Canyon Resident Garrett Eggleston.
"I can't understand how it would be biased to require a photo ID when you're voting," says Randall County voter Dale Hansen.
However, it's not a done deal yet.
The Justice Department's decision is not final; Texas has filed suit in federal court asking for permission to enforce the photo ID requirement.
And Local voting registration officials say it helps cut down on voter fraud.
"If you present a valid card, they are to accept you for voting," says Ruthie Poynor, the Randall County Voter Registration Manager.
"Voter fraud's been around many years and if it would cut down on it, that's a good idea." Hansen says.
If the Texas Voter ID law remains blocked, those voting would only be required to present a voter registration certificate to a poll worker to cast their ballot.
In a letter from the U.S. Justice Department to the State of Texas today, officials say the measure could harm, quote: "Hispanics who dis-proportionately lack either a driver's license or a personal identification card."
They say the bill could have a discriminatory effect on many other minority voters.
