The Briefing Room
General Category => Politics/Government => Topic started by: flowers on August 05, 2015, 06:42:54 pm
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http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/federal-court-strikes-discriminatory-texas-voter-id-32903398
A federal appeals court has struck down Texas' voter ID law, ruling that the Republican-backed measure first passed in 2011 violates the Voting Rights Act.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans said Wednesday that the Texas law, one of the toughest voter ID measures in the country, violates Section 2 of the landmark civil rights law. The U.S. Justice Department had joined minority groups in a drawn-out legal battle that has stretched for years.
A lower court had previously found that the voter ID was passed by the Republican-controlled
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DEMS would love nothing more than to see TX turn blue.
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DEMS would love nothing more than to see TX turn blue.
And they are willing to do anything to make sure it happens.
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Hope SCOTUS will take this case.
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Attorney General Paxton Statement on Voter ID Ruling; Texas’ Voter ID Law to Remain in Effect
Wednesday, August 5, 2015 – Austin, Texas
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton today released the following statement on the ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Texas’ Voter ID law:
“Today’s ruling was a victory on the fundamental question of Texas’ right to protect the integrity of our elections and the state’s common sense Voter ID law remains in effect. I’m particularly pleased the panel saw through and rejected the plaintiffs’ claim that our law constituted a ‘poll tax.’ The intent of this law is to protect the voting process in Texas, and we will continue to defend this important safeguard for all Texas voters.”
Texas has successfully held three statewide elections and numerous local and special elections with the Voter ID law in place – with no disenfranchisement reported.
Texas Solicitor General Scott Keller presented arguments on April 28, 2015, on behalf of the State of Texas in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
The Texas Legislature enacted Texas’ Voter ID law in 2011 through Senate Bill 14 (SB14), which requires voters to present government-issued photo ID when voting at the polls. The seven acceptable forms of photo ID include the following: a Texas driver’s license, free Texas election identification card (EIC), Texas personal identification card, Texas license to carry a concealed handgun, U.S. military identification card, U.S. citizenship certificate, and U.S. passport.
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-paxton-statement-on-voter-id-ruling