U.S. court to test South Carolina voter ID law
Source: Reuters
U.S. court to test South Carolina voter ID law
By Drew Singer
WASHINGTON | Sun Aug 26, 2012 8:32am EDT
(Reuters) - South Carolina this week will try to convince a United States federal court its new voter identification law doesn't discriminate against black voters, contrary to a finding by the federal government.
The trial set to begin on Monday in Washington marks the Obama administration's latest attempt to block a wave of laws in Republican-controlled states that require voters to show certain forms of photo ID at the polls.
As in other states to pass such laws, Republicans in South Carolina's legislature said the measure discourages voter fraud. Republican Governor Nikki Haley signed the requirement into law in May of last year.
But in December, the U.S. Department of Justice blocked the law from taking effect, using a power from the 1965 Voting Rights Act that allows the government to veto voting rule changes in states with a history of racial repression.
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http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/26/us-usa-voting-southcarolina-idUSBRE87P03Q20120826