General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDOJ blocks Texas voter ID law
The Department of Justice is blocking a Texas law that would require all voters to present photo identification to vote, likely further fueling an intense partisan debate on this issue.
In a letter to Texas officials, Thomas Perez, head of DOJ's Office of Civil Rights, argued the law could disproportionately impact Latino voters, who are more likely than white voters not to currently have driver's licenses or other kinds of photo identification.
"Hispanic registered voters are more than twice as likely as non-Hispanic registered voters to lack such identification," Perez wrote.
The Department of Justice also blocked South Carolina's voter identification law in December, arguing it would disproportionally affect black and elderly voters.
http://www.thegrio.com/politics/doj-blocks-texas-voter-id-law.php
DevonRex
(22,541 posts)Thanks for letting us know.
jenmito
(37,326 posts)I hope the DOJ blocks Wisconsin's new voter ID law, too.
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)I am sorry but neither Tenn. nor Wisconsin are covered by Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act which is the basis of this action.
There are several lawsuits pending in Wisconsin and two different judges have enjoined the Wisconsin act
jenmito
(37,326 posts)tkmorris
(11,138 posts)Why doesn't Section 5 apply to Wisconsin and Tennessee?
tkmorris
(11,138 posts)For anyone else that wants to know, the wiki sums it up reasonably well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_Rights_Act#Section_5_-_Preclearance
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)That is an okay general discussion of this area.
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act only applies to a dozen or so southern states that have a history of discrimination against minorities. States that are subject to Section 5 of the VRA have to pre-clear any changes that may affect the voting rights of minorities. The DOJ has already objected to the South Carolina voter id law and so no one was surprised when the DOJ objected to the Texas act. Tenn. and Wisconsin are not states covered by the Voting Rights Act and so these states do not need to preclear all changes in voting rights. Texas, South Caronlina, Florida and Mississippi are all states covered by Section 5 of the VRA. The DOJ also blocked some Florida laws on voter registration and early voting last week or so.
I hope that this helps.
BTW, two different judges in Wisconsin have enjoined the Wisconsin voter id law. One decision was on state law grounds and I am not sure what is covered by the court that issued an injunction today.
Fawke Em
(11,366 posts)Tennessee was a member of the CSA. Looks like my state would be covered.
Damnit. That sucks.
jenmito
(37,326 posts)xxqqqzme
(14,887 posts)w/ photo ID requirements. Moving kind of slow over at DoJ. Guess voting rights not a big priority?
jenmito
(37,326 posts)"Thirty-one states require all voters to show ID before voting at the polls. In 15 of these states, the ID must include a photo of the voter; in the remaining 16 states non-photo forms of ID are acceptable."
http://www.uaw.org/articles/new-voter-identification-laws-take-effect-several-states
xxqqqzme
(14,887 posts)California where no ID is required to vote - only your signature.
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)focus needs to be put on swing states like PA, Ohio etc....
xxqqqzme
(14,887 posts)w/ rethug controlled legislators.
Guess the powers that have the $$$$$ decided the voting machine thing was too obvious so they just started buying state legislators. Cheaper in the long run and much faster results.
Fawke Em
(11,366 posts)jenmito
(37,326 posts)Fawke Em
(11,366 posts)I thought that maybe Tennessee would be covered by the same law.
It boggles my mind why Tennessee wouldn't be included in the Voting Rights Act as it IS a Southern state.
jenmito
(37,326 posts)pass a bill into law to ALSO require photo ID. I'm confident the DOJ will block THAT one, too, and PA is a swing state (kind of).
UTUSN
(70,497 posts)jenmito
(37,326 posts)w8liftinglady
(23,278 posts)This is awesome news,as Texas was also forced to a new redistricting map which provided a more diverse population.There is one new district in my area that was formerly "Red" that will most decidedly vote "Blue" next election.
jenmito
(37,326 posts)Thanks for the info. Maybe TX will go Dem.!
seabeyond
(110,159 posts)sometimes i just have voter card.... and i have still been able to vote. it is relatively easy here in texas. i like it that way.
jenmito
(37,326 posts)and lots of others like you.