Carter Stands Strong Against Liberal Attempts to Derail Voter Bill

March 24, 2011

(AUSTIN, TX) – Representative Stefani Carter (R-Dallas) voted for Voter ID bill late Wednesday night. She and other conservative Republicans remained on the Texas House floor into the late hours fighting for Senate Bill 14, otherwise known at the Voter ID bill. This legislation would amend current laws to require a voter to present an acceptable form of photo identification prior to casting a ballot. Current law simply provides that as little as a voter registration certificate is sufficient, which leaves elections open to voter fraud.

Senate Bill 14 was sent to the House in late January and has made its way through the Committee process to finally come to a vote by the entire House. Last Monday it was originally set for floor debate, but Democrats successfully delayed the debate and vote.

“It can be frustrating when the opposition focuses more on disrupting the process than on the core issues at hand,” said Carter.
Unfortunately, those efforts to hinder the Voter ID bill continued throughout Wednesday evening. Democrats continually proposed amendments in the hopes of weakening the bill by including exceptions and loopholes that would ultimately defeat the entire purpose of the legislation.

“While still respecting the process and listening to each proposed amendment, I found I could not vote in favor of any of them,” Carter said. “The intent of this important legislation is clear, and I could not support anything that would lessen the necessary impact this law will have — to ensure free and fair elections. In 2008, a precinct in my district saw voter turnout of over 100 percent, this legislation will help to ensure that every registered voter’s ballot is cast and counted equally.”

After hours of discussion and debate, the Texas House of Representatives voted to pass this legislation. The new provisions will take full effect on January 1, 2012.

Stefani Carter is serving her first term representing House District 102, which includes parts of the cities of Dallas, Richardson, and Garland. She is a native of the Dallas area and a former prosecutor.
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