Opponents To Tightened Voter ID Requirements Appeal To Lawmakers

AUSTIN (AP) – Some opponents of stricter voter identification requirements want Texas lawmakers to avoid placing more obstacles between people and the polls.

Thursday’s appeal in Austin came as a hearing is planned tomorrow by the Texas House Elections Committee on voter fraud and voter identification.

Mary Finch with the Texas League of Women Voters says her group supports what she calls “full voting participation by all eligible Americans, not restrictions.”

The Legislature’s Republican leadership contends the restrictions are needed to keep non-citizens from voting.

But Democrats aren’t happy with the proposal, which fueled one of the nastiest and longest-running debates of the 2007 legislative session.

Republican speaker Tom Craddick says voter fraud has been an increasing concern throughout the U.S.

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