Republican state senators are poised this week to send a voter ID measure opposed by Democrats to the Texas House, where Republican Speaker Joe Straus of San Antonio expects the ID idea — approved twice before by House members — to reach the floor.

But Straus, who surged to the speaker post thanks partly to early support from House Democrats, isn't forecasting that the measure will become law.

"There are a lot of members on both sides of the issue who are expressing concerns to me about it," he said.

Straus said he's entrusting Rep. Todd Smith, R-Euless, chairman of the House Committee on Elections, to shepherd the mandate that voters at the polls present photo IDs or other identifying documents.

Straus said, "Todd is aware of the dynamics here in the House," which is split 76-74 for Republicans, "and how hard it is to pass anything. So I trust him to do a good, thorough vetting job."

Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, suggested that Straus could stop action on the ID measure and spare the 150-member House from a bloody debate.

Noting Straus' election as speaker behind a vow to be bipartisan and avoid unneeded conflicts, Anchia said, "If that's the formula for success, then (voter ID legislation) runs counter to that."

Republicans say required identification will protect the integrity of elections. Democrats say the change amounts to a partisan ploy to deter elderly and minority voters, many of whom tend to favor Democratic candidates.

More than in past legislative sessions, the ID topic has created friction among senators. That's mainly because Republicans in the 19-member majority changed Senate rules in January so they could bring up the ID matter by majority vote rather than the two-thirds margin usually required for action.

The higher threshold helped Democrats stop House-approved ID proposals in 2005 and 2007.

Straus, who has previously voted for voter ID measures as a member, said he hasn't decided if he's going to vote on any issue this session in his role as speaker.

Smith said he's certain the House version of Senate Bill 362 by Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, will accommodate Democrats' concerns about creating barriers to voting — such as whether individuals or the state will pay for photo IDs. He was referring to yet-to-be settled changes likely to be spelled out before his committee.

Republican Reps. Tommy Merritt of Longview and Delwin Jones of Lubbock joined Democrats in voting against an ID proposal in 2007. Neither one has announced a change in position this year.

Rural Democrats who could come around to voting for an ID proposal include Rep. Chuck Hopson of Jacksonville, who said he'd like to exempt anyone 65 or older from ID checks and anyone who's voted in two recent elections.

Hopson said that he's heard of no local cases of voter impersonation and said constituents care more about state spending, roads and taxes.

But, he said, he recognizes the issue as political dynamite.

"This apparently is the thing that decides if you're a good person or a bad person this year. ... This is the deciding vote of the session — which makes no sense."

Smith said some Democrats should want an ID standard passed into law.

"I believe to the bottom of my heart, if I was putting on my partisan Republican hat, the best thing that could possibly happen would be for this legislation to be narrowly defeated, so Republican candidates could go into these marginal (could go either way) districts and blame Democrats for elections being less secure than they could be," Smith said.

"The best thing for Democrats, especially rural Democrats fighting in marginal districts, is to intelligently balance the issues of (voter) access (to the polls) and security in a way that provides increased confidence in our election system but does not disenfranchise any voter or put any unreasonable barrier in any voter's access to the polls."

Hopson has filed a proposal that would have voter registration cards feature voter photos. He's offered another that would step up penalties for impersonating another voter.

"If it truly is we have illegal voting, I want to stop that," Hopson said.

Smith said he hopes to propose steps that would drive up voter registration, though he said he wouldn't spell out registration ideas until he holds a committee hearing on voting issues.

Of the voter ID debate, Smith said: "This is one of those issues that isn't going away. Sometimes we have to address issues in order to get on to other things."