A piece of voter identification legislation, HB 591, was tabled yesterday along party lines in the House Voters and Elections Committee. According to the Albuquerque Journal:

Republicans have long contended that voter fraud is a problem in New Mexico and that requiring voters to show photo ID would help prevent it.Democrats argue that verified instances of voter fraud are rare — and they add that requiring photo ID would disenfranchise some voters, including seniors and tribal members.

The bill would have required voters to provide one of six pieces of identification: a state driver’s license; a state-issued “photo identification card”; a U.S. passport; a debit or credit card; a military ID; or a public assistance ID card.

The bill was sponsored by a Silver City Republican Rep. Dianne Miller Hamilton, who admitted she didn’t think the bill had the best chance of passing. This was the first committee hearing for the bill.

Both Speaker of the House Ben Lujan and House Majority Leader Ken Martinez serve on the House Voters and Elections Committee.