Voter IDs

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Legislation that would require voters to provide proof of identity before voting was passed by a state House committee Wednesday.<br/><br/>The bill, passed by the House Rules Committee,

Wednesday, February 7th 2007, 9:16 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Legislation that would require voters to provide proof of identity before voting was passed by a state House committee Wednesday.

The bill, passed by the House Rules Committee, would require voters to present a document containing their photograph issued by the state, the federal government, a county, a municipality or a federally recognized American Indian tribe before they are allowed to vote.

Voters without a photo ID would be allowed to vote after they sign a statement swearing they are the person who is registered to vote.

The measure by state Representative Sue Tibbs of Tulsa is designed to combat voter fraud and prevent people from assuming the identities of other voters.

Similar bills have been filed unsuccessfully in previous years. State election officials have said the voter ID requirement could create long lines and additional delays on Election Day.

A total of 926,462 voters, or 45 percent of Oklahoma's registered voters, cast votes in the governor's race in November. That's more than 100,000 votes less than the 1,035,620 voters, or 52 percent of registered voters, who cast ballots when Governor Brad Henry won his first term four years earlier.

The measure, House bill 1734, now goes to the state House floor for debate and a vote.