Texas' voter ID law struck down in federal court

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(CBS/AP) WASHINGTON - A federal court has ruled against a Texas law that would require voters to present photo IDs to election officials before being allowed to cast ballots in November.

A three-judge panel in Washington ruled Thursday that the law imposes "strict, unforgiving burdens on the poor" and noted that racial minorities in Texas are more likely to live in poverty.

CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen reports the law required new forms of voter identification even for Texas residents who have long voted accurately.

The court ruled that the new voter identification law in Texas would have an unconstitutional impact on the right to vote for poor people and especially Hispanics and African-Americans - the same minorities who were protected earlier in the week from Republican redistricting by another federal court panel.

This is the third court ruling in the past three days out of the federal courts striking down Republican voter laws. A federal panel on Wednesday blocked a Florida registration measure from continuing in effect. South Carolina's strict photo ID law is on trial in front of another three-judge panel in the same federal courthouse. A court ruling in the South Carolina case is expected in time for the November election.

An appeal is likely in the Texas case, but there is no guarantee that the U.S. Supreme Court is going to want to get involved in this case, or any of these voting rights case, before the election. On the other hand, the justices in 2008 said that states could impose some voter identification restrictions.

Federal court finds discrimination in new Texas voting maps

Earlier in the week, Texas' voting districts were thrown again into upheaval after a federal court found evidence of discrimination in new district maps drawn and approved by the state's Republican-controlled Legislature last year.

The U.S. District Court in Washington wrote in a 154-page opinion that the maps don't comply with the federal Voting Rights Act because state prosecutors failed to show Texas lawmakers did not draw congressional and state Senate districts "without discriminatory purposes."

The ruling applies to the maps originally drawn by the Legislature in 2011, and not interim maps drawn by a San Antonio federal court that are to be used in the upcoming elections this November.

CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen said the Supreme Court likely will have the final say the case of voting maps, and it's been quite supportive of Republican redistricting efforts in the recent past. There's likely to be some sort of expedited appeal.

This ruling was a blow to the GOP because it keeps in place the current voting districts.

[DBWilson1369]

WOW!! Your telling me, That I am able to get a busload of 'my friends'
and like minded individuals and do a (Vote Till it Feels Good. Statewide.Ballot Stuffing Tour, Extravaganza!??) And NOBODY Will ever know Who we were, How many times, or How we Voted??! And Laws are created so that can happen somehow?. WOW!!! And while I'm here, Illegal Alien=INVADING TRESPASSER!!!

[Eco99]

Well since everyone likes fiction have a look at this Newsroom Segment ... sorry if it confuses folks by blending the lines between truth and fiction but hey that has been happening all week at the Convention so it seems apropos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGAvwSp86hY&feature=g-logo-xit

[sjc_1]

This is the same old GOP trick, claim that there is voter fraud, which there is not and then demand a voter ID law. This is why we have voter registration, so they can check out the person and put the on the voter rolls.

There has been NO proof that people show up claiming to be someone they are not. This is just a way for the GOP to deprive people of their right to vote if they will not vote Republican.

[stevex47]

If the birthers just came up with an honest, honorable candidate, they wouldn't have to rig elections.

Shameful, but they dont care about honor anyway.

[Eco99]

Score one for Democracy!!

[TimeToEvolve]

They don't call it TexASS for nothing. Just another day in a red state that needs to help cheat for any lousy Republicon to be elected. You know Texass is doing ELECTION FRAUD because they are claiming there is voter fraud even though they have NO PROOF. But that is why it is Texass.

[NRouse1995]

serioously how can u say that. All they want is to show their ID its 30$ to get a drivers licesnce which is appropriate ID. Its mainly to prevent illegal people to vote. But, whatever hey u want to go to mexico's election with me and vote? Oh thats right we would most likely get arrested!

[Eco99]

NRouse when you show me proof of the rampant Voter Fraud that is going on in this country then I will agree with you 100%. The simple fact is there is not. Do you think it is a coincidence that a majority of the Voter ID laws currently being passed are in swing states. Get beelping real. It is nothing more than a political tactic and it is disgusting and the GOP should be ashamed of themselves. Their new motto should be one person one vote ... only if you are Republican.

[melbatom]

I have observed a lot of court finding but to declare the ID requirement a burden on the poor makes it a decision that should be investigated by Congress. It appears to be a Democratic Decision. How can a voting ID be a burden on any poor when the obtaining of an ID cost nothing. On top of that you have a year to get an ID. If you can not produce a birth certificate or other data the question of citizenship rattles to the front of the issue. NO OTHER COUNTRY WILL ALLOW YOU TO VOTE UNLESS YOU ARE A CITIZEN!!

[TimeToEvolve]

And fortunately there is really no issue at all with non-citizens voting. Why would they take a chance doing that if they are undocumented?

[Jaylah54200]

GOP is hurting for Latino votes. So they attempt to restrict Latino voters.

Nothing's changed here.

[TimeToEvolve]

It is the Republicons who are doing all the fraud (election fraud) and that is why they are saying that there is voter fraud even though there is not. Republicons never let the truth get in the way of a good story. I think the entire platform of the Bush Crime Family and now the Robbed Me ticket is based on this idea.

[Lindag20]

Historically voter fraud in the US is very low. If the Registrar of Voters in EVERY county would do THEIR job, the dead, felons, illegals, etc. would not be registered to vote in the first place and wouldn't be on the lists at the polling places. Seems like the Rpublicans are in an uproar again over one of their plans that hasn't turned out to suit them.