Voter ID Measure Faces Opposition

The League of Women Voters of Oklahoma has asked Governor Henry to veto a voter identification bill that it says would present a barrier to voting, and the American Association of Retired Persons isn't enamored of the bill, either.

Senate Bill 4 would require voters to show state, federal or tribal photo identification. Voters also would be allowed to use their county election board voter registration card. Provisional ballots would be available to people who could not produce acceptable identification.

The measure would disenfranchise thousands of voters, League of Women Voters spokeswoman Gloria Caldwell said. "There are numerous valid reasons why certain populations of Oklahomans — elderly, low income, disabled and minority — can't easily obtain an ID," she said. "There are an estimated 78,000 eligible voters in Oklahoma who would be deprived of their right to vote under this legislation."

But Sen. John Ford, R-Bartlesville, said the bill he introduced "disenfranchises absolutely no person or group of voters."

Henry has until Wednesday to make a decision on the bill.

Share |