Statement Regarding Hearing on Voter Identification Bill: SB 362

State Representatives Wayne Christian, Linda Harper-Brown, Ken Paxton, and Dan Flynn

"Voter registration lists in Texas are suspect.  A November 2007 review by the State Auditor identified 49,049 registered voters who may be ineligible to vote, mostly felons or deceased.   That problem has not been rectified, as an independent report out of Houston notes that up to 4,000 deceased individuals remain on Harris County voter rolls. 

"When non-citizens, dead people, or otherwise unqualified individuals remain on the voter rolls, illegal votes will be cast, cancelling legitimate votes and denying legal voters of their civil rights. 

"The election integrity measures we need are clear.  First, the state must be a better steward of our right to vote, beginning with smarter and more advanced registration and verification methods to keep the voter rolls clean.      

"Second, the state must require all voters to present government-issued photo identification when voting.  The United States Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionality of Indiana's photo identification requirement, in part, as means to safeguard against fraud stemming from inflated or inaccurate, voter registration lists. 

"Justice Stevens, writing for the majority, stated that: ‘The universally applicable requirements of Indiana's voter�identification law are eminently reasonable.'  The Supreme Court rejected the argument that photo identification is a partisan ploy aimed at limiting access to the polls.

"Texas needs a photo identification requirement modeled after Indiana's. 

"This legislative session, conservatives have filed election integrity bills to achieve better voter registration lists (House Bill 208), smarter identification of voters at polling places (Senate Bill 362, House Bill 125, House Bill 47, House Bill 373, and House Bill 1414), and citizenship verification for those registering to vote (House Bill 47). 

"Vote fraud must not be tolerated.  Election integrity measures are a priority for the Texas Legislature."

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