Federal Judge Strikes Down Texas Voter ID Law
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AUSTIN (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — A federal judge has blocked enforcement of a Texas voter ID law just weeks ahead of the November elections. She called the law an unconstitutional poll tax. The judge wrote a 147-page opinion that agreed with civil right's groups, saying the law makes it harder for minorities to vote by requiring them to get acceptable IDs.
The ruling Thursday is a defeat for photo ID measures that have swept across the U.S. in recent years and mostly been upheld in court. However, the U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday night blocked Wisconsin from implementing a law requiring voters to present photo IDs.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos never signaled that she would rule on the Texas law before Election Day. But the timing could spare an estimated 13.6 million registered Texas voters from needing one of seven forms of photo identification to cast a ballot. The Texas attorney general is seeking an emergency stay.
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