Justice Dept blocks Texas voter ID law
Thomas Perez, right, in this file photo from December 2011
/ Ken Lambert,AP Photo/The Seattle Times(CBS) -- The Justice Department Monday formally blocked Texas from implementing its new law requiring voters to present photo identification before casting ballots. Using its powers under the landmark Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Justice Department informed Texas election officials that its law is "legally unenforceable."
Writing on behalf of Attorney General Eric Holder, the chief of the Civil Rights Division, Thomas Perez, informed the Texas Secretary of State's office that "a Hispanic registered voter is at least 46.5 percent, and potentially 12 percent, more likely than a non-Hispanic registered voter to lack the required identification. In addition, although Hispanic voters represent only 21.8 percent of the registered voters in the state, Hispanic voters represent fully 29.0 percent of the registered voters without such identification."
Under Section 5 of the landmark Voting Rights Act, Texas, like several other states with a history of discrimination has the "burden of showing that the proposed changes have neither the purpose nor the effect of denying or abridging the right to vote on account of race or color or membership in a language minority group."
The Justice Department also faults Texas for efforts to "mitigate" the impact on Hispanic registered voters who do not possess photo ID such as a driver's license, military ID card, United States passport, or a license to carry a concealed handgun. According to the letter, 7.3 percent of Hispanic households do not have a car to drive to motor vehicle offices, and even if they did, 81 of the state's 254 counties have no office at all.
One Texas lawmaker is quoted as saying that voters in his district "could have to travel up to 176 miles roundtrip" to find an office. During the debate over the law, the state also rejected a proposal to extend office hours until 7 pm to help voters get the necessary photo IDs.
Even before the Justice Department formally blocked the Texas law from taking effect, the state filed suit in federal court in Washington claiming the requirements do not "deny or abridge the right to vote." Ten Texas residents have filed a motion to intervene in the suit, claiming their rights could be violated under the new law.
A status conference is expected on Wednesday. But unless the court overturns the Justice Department's determination, Texas is blocked from using its voter identification law known as S.B. 14 when voters cast primary ballots on May 29th.
The decision follows a similar action against South Carolina in December, the first rejection of a voter ID law in almost two decades. The Obama administration rejected South Carolina's voter ID law on the grounds that it makes it harder to participate in the political process.
South Carolina sued Holder and said its law would not disenfranchise any voters.
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(1) a driver's license or personal identification card issued to the person by the Department of Public Safety or a similar document issued to the person by an agency of another state, regardless of whether the license or card has expired;
(2) a form of identification containing the person's photograph that establishes the person's identity;
(3) a birth certificate or other document confirming birth that is admissible in a court of law and establishes the person's identity;
(4) United States citizenship papers issued to the person;
(5) a United States passport issued to the person;
(6) official mail addressed to the person by name from a governmental entity;
(7) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter; or
(8) any other form of identification prescribed by the secretary of state.
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Name any person, otherwise eligible to vote in TX that has none of the above. I rest my case.
There is NOTHING in the Constitution (or any Amendment) REQUIRING a citizen to have a "Photo I.D." to vote.
Remember the Voting Rights Act?
Poll Taxes?
Let's NOT go back there.
In Texas, anyone with a voter registration card and obtain a photo ID for free.
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Provided you travel up to 340+ miles round trip (even when you lack a car) and give up one or more days of work because the offices that issue the ID's are only open on weekdays and not during the evenings.
A world with out IDs ..all the problems would be solved .
HEY MORONS HOW ABOUT WORKING ON HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT>>INFLATION !!!>SOARING GAS PRICES!!!!
Every story sounds good until you hear the other side.
They haven't passed the Photo ID requirement yet so far it's a non-photo so once they do Democrats will fight it.
Kind of says it all they are only fighting "Photo ID" laws like what was passed in Texas. Kind of interesting if you know what I mean.
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Photo ID laws have been accepted in some states and blocked in others. The critical factor is whether or not the state has provided adequate capabilities (locations and office hours) and a sufficiently low cost means for legal voters to secure an acceptable ID to permit them to vote. Photo ID is legal as long as the state provides reasonable and adequate access to those needing to secure a photo ID. 340+ miles to an office with no evening or weekend hours IS NOT ADEQUATE ACCESS.
COMMON SENSE dictates that all 'Citizens' prove, at the very least, that they are qualified to vote at the precinct of their residency. Which requires proof of residency.
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The only document that universally PROVES CITIZENSHIP in this country is a passport (and Texas law only accepts ID issued by the DMV so passports are NOT VALID). Texas will not implement Real ID for drivers licenses until 2013 to it will be 2017 or later before all Texas Drivers licenses prove citizenship. Under your proposed solution (not the current law NO ONE EVEN THOSE THAT produce a passport in Texas will be permitted to vote -- however that is also inadequate based on your requirement because they will also need a drivers license or some other ID with their current address to prove residency. That means TWO forms of photo ID not just one.
I assume, since you don't have to be a citizen to have a DL in Florida, that the new DLs will include citizenship information.
In fact the opposite is true. What the DOJ is trying to do, as it is required by law, is to ensure that US citizens are not barred from voting. I am a strong supporter of providing positive identification when registering to vote and voting, but your veiled hint of xenophobia was not overlooked.