Texas Democrats spoke out at their convention Saturday against an anticipated voter identification bill they expect will arise in the 2009 Legislature.
Senate Democrats prevented passage last year of a Republican-backed bill requiring voters to show a photo ID when casting a ballot. Republicans said it would prevent voter impersonation and fraud, but Democrats said it would discriminate against elderly, women and minority voters who might not be as likely to have a photo ID or to have an ID matching their name as listed on voter rolls.
"The Republicans are going to make another run at this bill again," said state Sen. Mario Gallegos of Houston, a Democrat who returned to the Senate chamber last year despite illness to block the voter ID bill.
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