Texas voter ID law heard in federal court

Chip Somodevilla

(CBS News) Texas' voter ID law is is in getting its day in federal court today. The outcome of the case could determine if up to 600,000 people in Texas who lack a photo ID can vote in November.

The Republican-led Texas legislature passed a law last year requiring Texas voters to present a government-issued photo ID at the voting booth. Acceptable forms of ID include a driver's license, a U.S. passport or a concealed-handgun license. Student IDs are not acceptable. Texas residents without a photo ID can vote by provisional ballot accepted only if he or she later presents photo identification to verify the vote.

The Justice Department argues Texas' photo ID law is disproportionately restricting Hispanic voters' voting rights and violates Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act which prohibits denying the right to vote based on race or color.

Alternately, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is suing the Justice Department in the U.S. District Court in Washington, DC, for not granting the state preclearance under the Voting Rights Act, which would allow the state to enact its law.

Attorney General Abbott found that 605,000 eligible Texas voters lack appropriate photo identification, but argues that the law is not "severe" because photo ID is available free of charge and because of the opportunity to vote via provisional ballot.

Opponents argue that the law places "significant burdens" on minority voters. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund says the law is "restrictive" for African-American students at state universities who could not use their student ID at the voting booth.

Eleven states have successfully passed photo IDs at the polls, according to the National Council of State Legislatures. Georgia was granted preclearance and some states are not required to seek Justice Department preclearance because they lack a history of voter discrimination.

[SleepyMom]

Did anyone actually pay attention to this trial? Included in the DOJ's list of voters lacking ID were: 50,000 Dead Voters (200 who have voted this year despite already being decreased), 330,377 voters over the age of 65 who are exempt from showing an ID, 261,887 who actually did have a DL on their voter registration," etc. And, when a University of Texas professor did a survey on the DOJ's list, he found that 90% of the white voters, 92% of the black voters, and 93% of the Hispanic voters did in fact have an ID valid for voting.

[thebob-bob]

" a common-sense requirement that when you show up to polls to vote, you prove you are who you say you are with a photo ID".

In America, you have a Constitutional right to vote. When you sign your ballot, you exersize that right and prove who you are by your signature. There are many laws against fraudulent voting. If the authorities believe that you committed a crime, it's their job to prosecute. A citizen is innocent until proven guilty.

You have no constitutional right to fly, no constitutional right to drive ... all those other things for which you need an ID. By demanding specific types of IDs, local politicians can keep changing the forms, the details and the type of documentation every election cycle, disenfranchising thousands of citizens.

Voter ID laws are, as the Republican Governor of Michigan recently stated when he vetoed his states legislation, is a "solution looking for a problem". There is no evidence of wide-spread voter fraud. This is nothing more that an attempt to block minority voting in America.

[sspunout]

The federal government requires a photo i.d. and a social security card to start a job (one would assume it's to verify that you are a citizen, and/or legally authorized to work in the U.S.). Do we not have a right to work?

[ceragioli]

I don't really understand what the big issue is with the DOJ about states having the right to see if a person can legally vote. My wife is from Mexico and they have Voted ID's in place. Everyone is given a card which has a picture of them on it. When they vote the sheet that the voter volunteers has also has a picture of the voter and voter ID. Both the card and sheet must match and the card is good for several years. It's very interesting that Mexico a 3rd world nation can have this system in place so there isn't any fraud but here in america we can't because the poor can't afford ID's or the offices are too far away. I wonder how Mexico does it with all it's villages shattered about. Looks like to me special interest groups want mass fraud during elections.

[ParadoxisOK]

As I mentioned in my first post...the Voter ID Law in Texas is nothing more than stealth "Jim Crow". I've seen the "Jim Crow" laws back in the 50's, it was NOT a pretty picture. Not only were the blacks disenfranchised, but the Spanish speaking population were zeroed out, and poor whites were left out in the cold as well. Been there, saw it folks, it is UGLY.

[1term-done]

Everyone when stopped by the police is asked for photo ID --driving or not. To start a job-photo ID. --Go to new doctor=photo ID.etc... If you have altzheimers you shouldn't be voting-if you deceased-no--if you are illegally here--NO---if you are a felon-No...if you live in another state -NO.
There that was easy. So what's the problem? Everyone can (if they are a US citizen) get photo id. Even those without a birth certificate. For those that are legal and are elderly. They get SS or SSI or on Medicare or Medicaid. Easy. There are too many people and places that will help.
So STOP WHINING, and stop trying to encourage illegal use of our system.

[lg144]

Should someone released from prison after serving their sentence be allowed to vote?

[Casca0001]

It's important to understand that our voting system is in serious trouble, because of the trust we once had is rapidity diminishing? Elections are now under attack by the U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, guided by the Socialist-Marxist regime of President Obama' Czars whose intention is to maintain the election laws as instituted in 1964. We really cannot speculate how long the greatest numbers of non-citizens have been voting, when our strict Constitutional laws were introduced for citizens only. Non-citizens and others ineligible to vote, have and will again either use absentee ballots or arrive at the voting station with hardly any oversight—other than their word to vote. This could be catastrophic in close races, as Democrats led by the hand of Liberals has compromised the whole system. Using the disingenuous 'politically correctness' an absurd enigma of the zealot progressives. The new in-word 'Voter Suppression' is being used to challenge the fact that unknown numbers of foreign nationals are voting in contradiction to the law. Voter Suppression has been added to the Marxist Lexicon as the race card, skin color and other different labels, which obnoxiously have the mechanism to turn our politicians into spineless cowards.

Eric Holder still emanating the stench of corruption from deep in the 'Fast and Furious' origination, is now pushing an agenda of disqualifying any laws that requests the use of official picture ID. Right now anybody can vote, if they have a mind to, which includes felons, deceased people, none citizens and especially illegal aliens or even the household pet. The 'Motor Voter' Act of 1993, can be obtained from any post offices, with hardly any emphasis that is a penal violation to vote if not a citizen?
1. When people register by mail they are NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ANY FORM OF IDENTIFICATION.
2. When people register in person at a Department of Motor Vehicles or a Social Services agency, the government workers who handle their cases are not permitted to challenge their applications. In other words there are no safeguards in the voting process and the Democrats prefer it this way. So the election cycle is literary open to fraud.

In June 2011, a Rasmussen Report in a national phone survey likely U.S. voters said that voters should be required to show photo identification before being allowed to cast their ballots. This included 85% of Republicans, 77% of voters not affiliated with either major party, or 63% of Democrats. Support for such a law was high across virtually all demographic groups. Just 18% of respondents opposed the requirement.

[Casca0001]

You only have to read about the highly controversial scenario in Florida. Of course as with the Sanctuary State of California, Nevada the Justice Department is trying to control Texas on this matter. Millions of illegal aliens have defied the law and settled illegally in every American state and I can guarantee to the gullible public, that they are cheating the welfare system and other public services. This is evident when they smuggle their children through borders or knowingly enter America by international flights, fully aware that the U.S. taxpayer will cover the costs of the baby delivery and its uncompensated care from cradle to grave. Prospective President Mitt Romney had best be aware, to be guided by the growing millions of CONSTITUTIONAL TEA PARTY politicians that foreigners will be slowly but surely be repatriated.

Americans are frustrated and sick with the usual 'Status Que' of entrenched incumbents, who don't play by the rules that supposedly govern us. A great example is the border fence that separates us from the drug Cartels and a whole litany of criminals. In many locations the fence doesn't exist as its just open range, except for a few strands of eroded barbed wire? Go and check out the reputable surveys by light plane, across the stretches of Arizona at the AMERICAN PATROL site. Both political parties have lied to us, when they have been running the country, specifically the population figures of illegal migrants and immigrants already here. Must admit Obama started off well by huge numbers of illegal aliens deported, but it's slowed to a crawl. I don't trust neither party anymore and as an Independent, will vote for a true lawmaker who is a verified member of the TEA PARTY?

Bear in mind the TEA PARTY is the only knight in shining armor that will halt illegal immigration for good. We must replace every politician, Governor, Police Chief or other elected official who supports the illegal alien invasion, whether they are a Democrat, Liberal or even a Republican with a TEA PARTY leader. Join your local Constitutional Tea Party and remove Obama and endeavor to demand that Mitt Romney people enact mandatory E-Verify 'The Legal Workforce Act' (H.R. 2885) to reject unauthorized workers, with citizens and lawful non-citizens and then additionally an amendment the Birthright Citizenship law (H.R.140) Which will recognize for citizenship, only the babies of parents where at least one being a citizen.

[stevehamilton858]

The Tea Party has done more dmamge to this country than Osama bin Laden. First, it is improperly named. It is a reprisal of the Anti-Federalists of the early 1800's. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the brave patriots who dumped tea in Boston Harbor disguised as Mohawk indians, because the colonists felt they were being taxed without any representation (which, in fact, was true). What on God's green earth does that have to do with the right wingnots that make up today's Tea Party, and which exists to try and create gridlock in Congress by refusing to negotiate. If any of these uninformed people read the US Constitution, they would realize that the Constitution is designed so as to require negotiation before laws are passed. A person who is not willing to give something up cannot negotiate, by definition. I believe that Romnney is going to get trashed in November, and a major reason will be that the people managing the Republican party have embraced the Tea Party philosophy and approach.

[Casca0001]

When we cannot even care for our own citizens and legal residents properly, why is the government giving public benefits to criminals? Why for instance is the now aptly named 'Sanctuary State' of California hemorrhaging billions of dollars to pay for the health care, education of everybody who squats there? Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Andronovich, who denies nothing of the billions of dollars, spent every year; an incredulous taxpayer burden placed upon the populace of the state. Of course there is no need to persuade prudent Americans, well aware that the Liberals intoxicated with power are firmly established in Sacramento have caused this financial wreck. They passed an anti-Arizona law and by doing so have committed an even worse monetary demise. Without any fear of contradiction hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens will swarm California, because they believe they will be safe there from policing enforcement. That goes for any state that remains unconcerned about the impact of impoverished people stealing in from not only Arizona, but Alabama, Georgia, Utah, South Carolina and whoever else passes tough state policing enforcement laws.


Not that any other state that have poorly enforced immigration laws, will remain untouched?


The only way to change the direction of this country is by voting into Congress as many TEA PARTY legislators as is possible. Both parties have been given every chance in the world and have failed miserably. The more TEA PARTY politicians that can unseat Democrats and Republicans, the more influence we have to change Washington. Look to your own representatives in Congress and see if they are being dictated to by the 'K" Street special interests, the unions, churches of a whole conglomeration of radical organizations. Is your local political personage against or for, illegal immigration? Did you Congressman vote an ordinance for a Sanctuary City or for Comprehensive Immigration Amnesty? Are you aware that a recent study projects a wide ranging Amnesty would cost all taxpayers $2.6 Trillion dollars, when we already owe the foreign investors $16 Trillion dollars. Learn more details at NumbersUSA . Citizen voters should phone Congress at the central Washington, D.C., Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and review there standing on issues as illegal immigration, ObamaCare, drilling for oil, gas and coal and halting the relentless pressure of rules and regulations that is stifling job expectations.

[stevehamilton858]

If today's Tea Party members had been elected in the 1930's or 1940's, America would have lost WW2.

You need a remedial English lesson to learn the difference between "there" and "their", if you are going to weitre diatribes like this. Who performed the "study" that projected a cost to the country of $2.6 trillion if amnesty were offered to those persons describe by the sitting president. You can bet it was not a non-partisan organization.

This country is run under the rules of the US Constitution. If you don't like it, perhaps you should look for another country. For instance, China has for years ignored environmental concerns in favor of a more vibrant economy, and it has today some of the worst ecoligical disasters in the world to try and remediate.

[AOCGUY]

I fail to see how photo id requirements disproportionately affect hispanic voters. What, are hispanics more likely to be vampires whose image cannot be captured on film?

[marychgo]

Nobody's arguing that photo ID requirements disproportionately affect Latino citizens, AOCGuy. Discrimination was an issue in Florida because Florida's GOP Secretary of State waved around a thick stack of papers representing, he claimed, 180,000 possible ineligible voters, identified by comparing the voter registration rolls with DMV records. From that 180,000, he pulled 2,700 and sent them out to county registrars for possible purges. Strangely enough, in a state with only 11 or 12 percent Latino residents, those 2,700 names were more than 80 percent Latino. How do you suppose THAT happened? By random selection?

Multiple studies have shown that, in MOST states, people who don't already have a state-issued photo ID are disproportionately poor and/or old and/or minority. Despite the shock so many on these threads display, there are millions of Americans who get through their normal lives perfectly well without a state-issued photo ID!

[Biblescribe]

The US Voter Registration form is not accessible to the blind and for Spanish speaking people the Spanish language form speaks in English. These are YouTube videos that show the problem http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD19A280C1FC09009
The US National form requires the blind to buy a program that costs $1400 to fill out parts of it, not all of it, most of it, and that is a Poll Tax and the form also requires the blind to draw a map of where they live and that is a literacy test. The blind cannot see, but that seems to be lost on this administration. The CDC has about 32 million Americans who are either blind or have been diagnosed with a disease that leads to blindness. These people are visually impaired and went to their doctors to find out what is wrong with their eyesight. The CDC estimates this to go to 50 million Americans by 2030.
So we are arguing here over who pays for the ID card when the Administration is violating the racial parts of the of the Voting Rights Act along with imposing a Poll Tax and Literacy test in the Voter Registration form. Its time for the US court to get a little perspective here!