VOTER ID Update!

Update on Texas Voter Photo ID bill

Voter ID passed a major hurdle on Monday (May 11) when it was voted 5-4 out of the House Elections Committee. We saw bipartisan support for strong Voter Photo ID with four of the five Republicans and one of the four Democrats on the committee voting in favor of the bill. (Republican Dennis Bonnen voted against it because he did not believe the bill was strong enough.)During the month since the Elections Committee Voter ID hearing, Chairman Todd Smith released several versions of a Voter ID bill, but the committee decided to vote out the Senate Voter ID bill unchanged, which we see as positive overall, although there are a couple changes we would like to see.

Positives:-

• The bill goes into effect in time for the 2010 elections, and there is no delay in implementation.-
• The bill requires that a person show a Photo ID in order to vote.
• Changes we would like to see:- Remove the alternate ID option or at the very least shorten the list of acceptable alternate IDs if a person does not have a photo ID.

The next step is for the bill to go to the House floor for a vote, which is likely to happen sometime next week. This is expected to be a tough fight because, unfortunately, the Democrat leadership is fighting very hard against Voter ID.

However, poll after poll has shown that Democrat as well as Republican voters, across all ethnicities, support Voter Photo ID; therefore, we wouldn’t be surprised if several of the more principled Democrats listen to their constituents and vote for the bill.

Please call your State Representative and tell him/her:- Thank you for standing for a strong Voter Photo ID bill.- Please vote against any amendments that might delay implementation or weaken the bill in any way.- Please vote to remove or reduce the laundry list of acceptable alternate IDs (such as hunting licenses and library cards).You can find who represents you, as well as their contact information at this link:http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/Zip.aspx [Check phone numbers in previous post...below]

We will be in touch as the bill approaches the House floor to ask you to take further action.

Thank you for all your calls and emails, and even trips to the capitol, to help with the passage of this very important bill. You have made a huge difference.

Sincerely,SAFE-Texas (Secure and Fair Elections - Texas) www.SAFETexas.org

Melinda Fredricks, chairman

Toni Anne Dashiell

Russ Duerstine

Barbara Larson

Tom Mechler

Bill Noble

Eric Opiela

Linda Rogers

Skipper Wallace