In a state where lawmakers have long argued more background checks are needed for voter registrations, many of the same lawmakers resisted efforts more than a decade ago to strengthen the security of IDs, such as driver’s licenses.
After the federal government introduced the REAL ID program following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Oklahoma Legislature and Gov. Brad Henry signed into law in 2007 legislation specifically forbidding the state from complying.
Years later, the Legislature and Gov. Mary Fallin finally agreed to comply. After multiple delays, the deadline for Oklahomans to have a REAL ID to fly or enter military bases has finally arrived.
There is no doubt that many Oklahomans are still scrambling to get their new ID, a process that could have been completed years ago. In the end, Oklahoma leaders turned the needed REAL ID into a real pain for its residents.
This article appears in Summer Guide 2025.