South Carolina voter ID law goes to court
Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images
(CBS News) A federal court in Washington today begins several days of hearings over South Carolina's contentious voter ID law, which the Justice Department argues discriminates against minorities.
The Justice Department in December of last year blocked South Carolina's new law, which would have required voters to show poll workers a state-issued driver's license or ID card, or a U.S. military ID or passport.
Under the Voting Rights Act, the Justice Department is required to approve any changes in election laws in South Carolina and several other states with a history of electoral discrimination. The Justice Department argued that South Carolina's law went too far since black voters in the state are 20 percent more likely than white voters to lack a driver's license or state photo ID card.
State Sen. Larry Martin, who sponsored the law, told CBS News earlier this year, "It wasn't directed at minorities. It was directed at the process."
Martin said he sponsored the law to "protect the integrity of elections," and the law's defenders point to the hundreds of dead people who are on record as voting after the date of their death. There is evidence, however, that those cases amount to clerical errors rather than voter fraud.
Meanwhile, state Sen. John Scott, an African-American Democrat opposed to the law, will testify this week that Republicans passed the bill to suppress likely Democratic voters, McClatchy reports. Moreover, Scott charges he was excluded from final deliberations over the law.
"Based on approximately 25 years of experience in the (S.C.) Senate and House of Representatives combined, I believe that the members of the General Assembly knew that minorities are overwhelmingly likely to vote Democratic," Scott reportedly said in advance written testimony. "I also believe that the members of the General Assembly expected the voter ID bill to lead to lower turnout among minority voters."
Scott is just one of dozens of witnesses who will testify before the three-judge panel this week, including lawmakers, experts and people representing special interest and advocacy groups.
The federal court panel, which includes two judges appointed by President George W. Bush and one appointed by President Bill Clinton, is expected to rule in the case this fall, but the case could ultimately go all the way to the Supreme Court.
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They did it here too. ... People who have voted for years got thrown out. ....The elderly, black or white, may not have birth certificates either because back then it was not common to give them out. ....So doubly screwed.
Sounds like NC doesn't accept birth certificates anyway. ....Great way to get rid of dem voters they think but I'm sure they will lose rep voters too unless they are giving them a dispensation, which would make the whole magilla illegal!
HELL NO!
Republicans must be held to account for this attack to subvert our democracy. Republicans should be attacked by libertarians, liberals, conservatives, tea partiers and other groups in addition to the media for subverting our right to vote.
Of course, conspiracy sounds better. We all know that Liberals Eating Boiled embryos, sounds more dramatic than college students eating egg salad sandwiches.
It would appear that voter fraud only exists in Republican states. But how did any Republican get elected if the fraud is so deeply entrenched against them.
Finally found an office that had no lines just to ask questions and find out why ALL MV offices weren't allowed to do it.
Turned out my expired NY drivers license wouls do and no problem!
I had asked a poll watcher at the last election if that would do and she said no!
If I hadn't been so stubborn about wanting to vote I probably would have given up. ....I'm sure a lot of people did.
But know what? ....The people did NOT vote rep ticket!
They were all ticked off by the whole mess and now we have new people, without baggage, we can vote for!
How many times have you done it?
It's a prime example of crying wolf!
It's usually the loser who complains and then we have to waste money to prove them wrong!
And we have, every time!
She may or may not have registered the birth. ....You probably did not get a birth certificate.
That is a lot more than an inconvenience!
Social Security is a federal ID.
Why is this so hard to figuire out?
That's when you get a SS card nowadays!
And back when I got mine I just asked for one!