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House GOP Approves Bill Requiring Photo ID At Polls

DENVER (CBS4) - A plan to require Colorado voters to show a photo ID may go to voters. The bill passed out of the House on Tuesday and is headed to the Senate.

If the bill passes in the Senate and is approved by the governor, it would go on the November ballot.

Americans show photo ID to get on a plane, have a drink at a bar, and even buy a bottle of Sudafed at the drugstore. But when it comes to requiring an ID to vote, lawmakers are firmly divided.

After five bills in five years Republican Rep. Libby Szabo decided there was only one way to resolve the matter.

"So what I did was run an amendment that would make it a referred measure that would let the people of Colorado vote on it," Szabo said.

The measure would allow for a wide variety of IDs.

"You can use school ID, your driver's license, a state-issued ID, a pilot's license, Medicare and Medicaid," Szabo said.

Anything that proves citizenship could be used.

Szabo points to data from the Secretary of State showing up to 4,500 people are registered to vote who may not be citizens.

"There has not been a showing in Colorado that there has been wide spread fraud," said Rep. Crisanta Duran," D-District 5.

Duran argues it's the elderly, poor and minorities who would be impacted.

"If this bill passes it will lead to voter suppression," Duran said.

Szabo says let voters decide.

"If this is something that they think is important to the voting process, then they will say 'yes.' If they think this will disenfranchise people, then they will say 'no,' " Szabo said.

Thirty-two other states have voter ID laws with five requiring a photo ID.

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