Oklahoma State Question 746 is gaining support in the final weeks before Oklahomans vote.
SQ 746 would require voters to have legal photo identification to vote, and those without such identification would have to sign a sworn statement to cast a provisional ballot. By providing legal photo identification, problems of voter fraud in Oklahoma would be eliminated.
As of Oct. 13, SoonerPoll.com reports that the state question is receiving 76 percent support, 17 percent opposition and 7 percent undecided. Despite the high approval ratings, people opposing the measure claim it discriminates against certain groups.
“I think people make a strong opposing case,” retired political science professor David Morgan said at a public forum hosted by The League of Women Voters of Norman on Oct. 14. “That if any legal voter is deprived of the right to vote because of this legislation, it’s not worth it.”
One of the cons listed on a state question summary sheet provided by The League of Women Voters of Norman was that the question would “hinder minorities, the elderly and the poor from voting.”
“There are certain groups in our society that don’t have the advantages that many of us have,” Morgan said. “So, it seems to me that there are a group of people that could indeed be disadvantaged in their attempts to vote.”
Some of those disadvantages Morgan listed included elderly people who have difficulty getting out of their homes and into the voting booths and people who do not have current legal identification with them at all times.
At the forum held by The League of Women Voters of Norman, OU law professor Rick Tepker mentioned a group of nuns who were denied the right to vote in the 2008 presidential primary election in Indiana because they did not have the proper identification. If Oklahoma passes SQ 746, then a situation like this could lawfully occur, he said.
While this question would be a cautionary, preventative law to stop voter fraud, it may be unnecessary for Oklahomans.
“I don’t think we need voter ID,” Morgan said.
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JosephTSchmidt 1 year, 7 months ago
Is this in the Opinion section? Whatever happened to their being two sides to a story. Good job only getting one side interviewing Morgan (if the author did), and throwing in the stacked cards. Real strong stuff there.