L-R: Deputy County Executive Bruce Walker, Odell, Katz, Scannapieco

CARMEL – New York Assemblyman Steven Katz (R-Yorktown) wants to require voters to bring current, government issued photo identification with them when they go to the polls.

Anthony Scannapieco, Putnam County’s Republican elections commissioner is a strong supporter of the proposed legislation. He stated that voter fraud is not a problem in Putnam.

“I think it’s more purposely done down in the urban areas where there are a lot more people where there is a lot of misinformation and fraud being done,” Scannapieco said.

The commissioner, though, said the proposal is dead before it gets out of the gate. “Sheldon Silver will never let this pass,” he said.  

Voter fraud is “rampant,” said Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell.

“It is a way to secure and insure the American right to vote and hopefully it will remind people of the importance of their vote, just bringing it to a higher standard,” she said.

Katz questioned the true motives of those who oppose the legislation, saying they have a negative hidden agenda.  He also singled out Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver as the primary opponent who will stifle the bill’s progress.

“There are many like-minded Democrats,” Katz said. “The question is whether Sheldon Silver will allow this bill to come out of committee and brought to the floor to be voted on by the assembly.”