Texas Legislators Begin New Debate On Voter Identification

AUSTIN (AP) – Some Democrats and Republicans today resumed their disagreements over a voter identification law for Texas.

Legislators set out to learn how widespread voter fraud is in Texas as they held a public hearing in Austin.

Lawmakers showed their positions for and against a voter ID law as they questioned voting experts before the House Elections Committee.

Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector Paul Bettencourt painted a picture of widespread voting fraud.

Bettencourt presented documents representing what he said were 381 cases of voter fraud over eight years.

Some showed dead people voting, such as one who person who died in 1983 but was shown voting 13 years later. Bettencourt presented documents on four non-citizens who voted.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)