Isaac Parker, Tulsa (11/16/2008 6:18:29 AM)

Typical leftist logic. A free Photo Voter ID is a GOOD thing. What "legitimate" voters would a Photo Voter ID drive away? We may not have a fraudulent voter problem here (yet), but we probably will in the future. The fraudulent voter group ACORN is alive and well in Tulsa. ACORN was very active in all the swing states in the recent election. Who knows if they played a part in fraudulent elections in states known for voter fraud, like Florida and Ohio? The rise in numbers of this group is reason enough to implement free Photo Voter ID's. All legitimate voters, whether Democrat or Republican, should feel that ONLY legitimate voters are voting. If voters lose confidence in the voting system, democracy as we know it, will be in real trouble. The last thing SOME want is a free Photo Voter ID system, and their reasons aren't very convincing.

maggie, Tulsa (11/16/2008 8:13:38 AM)

I believe we have better use of the monies--education, health care, etc. There is not an issue of voter fraud--it is another case of the do little legislature trying to exert control where it can look like they did something useful. There is no need for more control--there is no upside to voter fraud in this state. It reminds me of the personal security legislation passed several years ago. It is a hassle and does not help my personal security--in fact, in my case it hurt it.

Isaac, if you are afraid that unqualified voters are voting--start investigating and prove the need for this. It is called activist citizenship. When you get your proof that there is a problem, then present it. Your paranoia about ACORN (which by the way you have described incorrectly) is not reason for adding this expense to the state budget.

One of the areas that Oklahoma actually leads the nation is in voter reliability and vote counting. The scandals of the 70s led us to the system we have. Oklahoma typically has the cleanest voting process in the country. Good job!

my view, America (11/16/2008 9:00:28 AM)

Oklahoma does have clean voting process maggie. but I still wouldn't stand it the way of a picture ID when voting. You need an ID for about everything else.

insider9909, Cushing (11/16/2008 9:27:59 AM)

This republican sponsored voter id is just a ploy to attempt to disenfranchise minority voters. The plain and simple truth is that if they don't want the african americans and hispanics to vote because those voters threaten the typical white power structure. Again,this is just a republican dirty tricks plan and if it does make it to the governor's desk, he should veto it.

LE, Tulsa (11/16/2008 10:05:40 AM)

Acorn? Ever hear of Acorn? You know who I'm talking about....those wingnuts who registered millions of voters that don't exist. We need voter ID big time to make sure our elections are not stolen like other states have.

Latisha, Tulsa (11/16/2008 10:09:17 AM)

I used to be against this because I didn't think voter fraud was a wide spread issue. But with all that Acorn stuff going on I've changed my mind. We should all be able to agree that what Acorn did was wrong and we should do everything possible to make sure it doesn't happen here in Oklahoma. We should wait until it's too late. I hope they do something.

Latisha, Tulsa (11/16/2008 10:20:51 AM)

insider,

I doubt the law, if passes, would say no voter ID would be issued to blacks and hispanics.

Bullhead, Stilwell (11/16/2008 11:14:25 AM)

Benge better watch what he wishes for. Oklahoma may not be so red if he gets his wish and everyone has to show i.d. a the polling places.

Royce, Tulsa (11/16/2008 11:38:02 AM)

Editorial writer Greene readily concedes that at least 6 fraudulent voters voted last week, but he mantains that wasn't terribly important since there were 1.4 million ballots cast'

Okay, we have 3,000,000 citizens in Oklahoma. Should murdering 12 of them be considered an insignificant event which should not require an investigation, an arrest, and a prosecution. I think not.

Should not those 6 fraudulent voters be identified, arrested, and prosecuted? I think so.

The Democrat party has long lived on fraudulent elections. Indeed Lyndon Johnson came to the US senate by means of an outragously corrupt election in Jim Wells county.

The phrase "vote early and often" was coined by either mayon Johnson or Al Capone, but it has been the watchword of Democrat political machines since the Roaring Twenties.

What's wrong with requiring voters to provide ID? Nothing at all. If the voter leaves his ID behind, the election official simply tells the voter to go home and get it.

Given the overwhelming number of fraudulent votes cast for Bsrack Obama by his ACORN registrants, it should be patently obvious that last week's election was corrupted from the outset.

Joe-Allen Dolty, TULSA (11/16/2008 11:44:20 AM)

The acorn fraud from this past election should prove to everyone that voter ID is needed.

Lana, (11/16/2008 11:49:56 AM)

So, if real voter fraud took place, blame that on the local Election Boards and/or the people working at the polling precincts.
.............
dotty, that's like saying blame the police instead of the criminals for crime because they aren't able to catch all criminals. That's stupidity. ACORN committed the voter fraud. The blame lies with these criminals. And yes, what ACORN did was a crime.

Daven, Tulsa (11/16/2008 11:50:33 AM)

Voter ID will just make it less likely for low income people to register. Especially if it something they have to pay for.

my view, America (11/16/2008 12:08:19 PM)

Daven,

Most state's that already require picture ID for voting purposes and there is only a few, provide them free to the low income. Actually what your saying is really a smoke screen as most people encluding the poor already have driver licence, that's all that would be required.

Bluebird of HOPE, Osage County (11/16/2008 12:34:06 PM)

I think this is a great idea. I feel they should have ID (thumbprint) plus photo on the id.

Makes sense to me. Just think how many crimes would be eliminated via thumbprint nabs. Oh, yeah. I love it. The photo id's are too easy to manufacture.

When I voted here, I thought it was too easy to just go in and fake a vote. I could of given my voter registration card to my sis (who looks just like me). Too many loopholes here in this okie state.

We need reforms and updates on our ids.

maggie, Tulsa (11/16/2008 4:20:40 PM)

ACORN committed no voter fraud. Anyone who misrepresents themselves as a legitimate voter and votes commits voter fraud--it is an individual crime.

I was asked for id the first several times I voted here in Tulsa--it was fine--I had my voter registration card. The expense of picture ids is one we do not need to incur.

Royce your analogy of voter fraud and murder being parallel is a stretch at best. There are probably more than 12 unsolved murders in Oklahoma per year--not necessarily committed by the same person.

In addition, landslide Lyndon was helped into office by the Duke of Duvall County!

Lana, It is the Election Boards responsibility to validate registrations before the person is added to the voting roll in the precinct--not ACORN's. I believe the point is there are checks and balances--if someone wants to commit voter fraud, a state issued id will not make a difference--go to any bar in a college town and ask about fraudulent ids.

DavidOK, (11/16/2008 8:03:16 PM)

Good article. For people who want to learn about more about the reality of voter impersonation and voter id. check out:
truthaboutfraud dot org

KenWhitehead, (11/16/2008 9:31:06 PM)

Logic like Wayne Greene's makes me glad my print subscription will soon expire. I won't be renewing.

DavidOK, (11/16/2008 10:07:40 PM)

Voter identification requirements are a costly solution without a problem. Where is the evidence that Oklahoma voters engage in voter impersonation? The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law found: "Fraud by individual voters is a singularly foolish way to attempt to win an election." The simple reason - Severe penalties in state and federal law - fines up to $10,000 and up to five years in prison.

Who would be impacted and why does it seem particular factions and corporate interests push Jim Crow 2.0? Eleven percent of Americans surveyed in a recent study do not have government-issued photo ID, such as driver's licenses or state-issued non-driver's photo ID. Studies show these new requirements would target and disproportionately impact women, the elderly, students, people with disabilities, lower income people and people of color.

Some legislators are willing to waste time and taxpayer money pretending to fix a nonexistent problem that attacks the most needy among us. Why? They would rather discourage and disenfranchise 1000's of citizens to win elections while feigning outrage at a fake boogeyman.

Stick61, Tulsa (11/17/2008 9:34:36 AM)

Wayne Greene got this right. Oklahoma can't afford to spend money creating IDs to solve a problem that doesn't exist, except in the minds of the paranoid. And no, Mr. Greene did not concede that six fraudulent votes were cast in the recent elections. He conceded that six folk arrived at the polls to find that someone had signed by their names already. Mr. Greene also provided explanations in the column as to how that could happen because of poll worker errors that had nothing to do with fraud. And yes, if there were only six questionable signatures out of 1.4 million in Oklahoma, then that's too few to worry about in such a way that we spend bunches of taxpayer money creating IDs and implementing an ID system.

Stick61, Tulsa (11/17/2008 11:11:43 AM)

That sounds like being led to believe something on a rather flimsy basis. There is no proof that Oklahoma has a problem. There is no need to tie up legislative time and, potentially, state worker time on this obviously ideological initiative.

Bullhead, Stilwell (11/17/2008 11:15:58 AM)

Yeah, just carry your drivers license or other valid photo i.d. in when you go to vote. No problem... unless you're voting early and often ;-]

Stick61, Tulsa (11/17/2008 11:20:43 AM)

Just seems like a waste of time and breath to me right now, when we have plenty of real problems for legislators and bureaucrats to address. It'll slow down voter lines, cause needless conflict at the polls and probably precipitate litigation of some kind. Seems like ideological candy to me. Something we can do without.

Stick61, Tulsa (11/17/2008 11:23:20 AM)

I have no personal problem showing ID -- I can show my OK driver license or my OK voter-id card. However, I do have a problem being forced to show them just so some legislator can make brownie points on an ideologically driven issue.

Stick61, Tulsa (11/17/2008 11:34:43 AM)

Not that simple, apparently. If you look at Greene's column, what Speaker Benge is talking about is making and issuing IDs for free to those who may need them. He's also saying that there'll have to be affidavits at the polls for anyone who forgets their ID or whatever. That means more poll worker and election official time spent on adjudicating affidavits. If you don't do that document creation and leg work, you end up in federal court on a voting-rights claim and then you pay lawyer fees and court costs. Moreover, the legislature will spend time debating this (more public expense) and then there'll have to be poll worker training to try to train lay folk managing polling locations how to implement the law without violating anyone's civil rights. Again, it really isn't as simple as you say.

Stick61, Tulsa (11/17/2008 11:36:29 AM)

Just ideological candy.