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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Readers Choice 2006 Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Our Valley Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend September 25, 2006 Voter ID bill could lead to security risks, officials say By chris conrad Mail Tribune Local law enforcement officials believe an election reform bill that would require Oregonians to include a photocopy of their driver's licenses with their mail-in ballots may leave voters open for identity theft. The Federal Election Integrity Act, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week, is meant to deter illegal immigrants from voting by forcing them to show a valid government identification at the polling place. The bill must pass the Senate and be signed by the president to become law. Should it make it that far, Jackson County Sheriff Mike Winters sees the bill as potentially "creating more problems than it's going to solve" in Oregon's vote-by-mail system. "It just adds fuel to the fire," Winters said. "It makes people easy targets for identity theft." The Sheriff's Department is beset by identity theft cases where suspects cruise rural areas to steal from mailboxes. Having a replica of someone's driver's license could be crippling financially to mail theft victims, said Detective Sgt. Colin Fagan. Advertisement "We have had cases where people get driver's license info and use it to print fraudulent checks that — because they have a license number, full name and address — look real," Fagan said. The suspect could then use a fake driver license created from the photocopied image gleaned from the ballot for identification when trying to pass the bad checks. "Most retailers only require that you show your ID when trying to cash a check," Fagan added. "So the person who will ultimately pay for this will be the retailer and, of course, the citizens." Because the ballots will be mailed in a narrow time period, the pickings could be easy for criminals. They'll know exactly when the ballots start hitting local mailboxes, Fagan said. If the bill becomes law, Winters suggests voters drop the ballots off at the post office or buy locking mailboxes. Reach reporter Chris Conrad at 776-4471, or e-mail [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Windermere Van Vleet Men's Clothing Southern Oregon Loans --> GMAT Prep Fundraisers Send Flowers Texas Electric Choice Entertainment Guide --> Casinos Canada Trunks, Footlocker Online Casino Reviews Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com