Federal Court Rejects TX Voter ID Law
In a legal fight that could affect Election Day in Texas, a Federal court has put the brakes on the state’s new voter ID law.
FOX News Radio’s Steve Taylor has details from Washington:
The court says the Texas law imposes an undue burden on poor people, those most likely not to have photo ID’s. Supporters of the law say it’s necessary to fight voter fraud. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott says Federal courts have approved other voter ID laws.
(Abbott) “Texas should have the same ability other states have.”
But Texas is subject to the 1965 Voting Rights Act because of a history of voter discrimination. Abbott says he’ll challenge the fairness and Constitutionality of that before the Supreme Court.
In Washington, Steve Taylor, FOX News Radio.
Attorney General Eric Holder released the following statement on the court’s ruling:
“The court’s decision today and the decision earlier this week on the Texas redistricting plans not only reaffirm – but help protect – the vital role the Voting Rights Act plays in our society to ensure that every American has the right to vote and to have that vote counted.
“The Department of Justice opposed preclearance of the Texas voter ID law because of the harm it would cause minority voters across the state of Texas. Under the proposed law, many of those without the required voter identification would be forced to travel great distances to get one – and some would have to pay for the documents they might need to do so. The legislature rejected reasonable efforts to mitigate these burdens. We are pleased with the court’s decision to deny preclearance because of these racially discriminatory effects.
“The Justice Department’s efforts to uphold and enforce voting rights will remain aggressive and even-handed. When a jurisdiction meets its burden of proving that a proposed voting change would not have a racially discriminatory purpose or effect, the Department will not oppose that change — when a jurisdiction fails to meet that burden, we will object.”
