Court rules against Dems in absentee voting case

[tbyg52]

X-post from ER:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=506574&mesg_id=506574

Details of the ruling:
http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/ray.php

Commentary on the ruling:

Absentee Ballot Decision Will Make Voting Harder For Elderly Texans: Statement of J. Gerald Hebert, Campaign Legal Center Executive Director

"Today's decision in Willie Ray v. State of Texas by a federal court in Marshall, upholding a Texas law that restricts the number of signatures on absentee ballot applications that a person may witness is extremely disappointing. The decision will regrettably leave in place a significant obstacle between elderly and disabled Texans and their right to vote and will serve ultimately to disenfranchise many of them. The plaintiffs who brought this case are among the first victims of the Supreme Court's decision in the Indiana Voter ID case ( Crawford v. Marion County )."

Excerpts and commentary on the decision follow:

More:
http://www.campaignlegalcenter.org/press-3315.html


Blog post on the ruling:

Citing the U.S. Supreme Court’s April 28 decision in Crawford, et al. v. Marion County Board of Education, et al., a federal judge in Marshall on Aug. 7 ruled against Democrats who challenged an absentee voting provision in the Texas Election Code. In Willie Ray, et al. v. State of Texas, et al., U.S. District Judge T. John Ward held that Election Code §84.004, which allows a person to witness the signature of only one voter on absentee ballot applications, is consistent with the First and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution and does not conflict with §208 of the federal Voting Rights Act.

A little more, opportunity to comment:
http://texaslawyer.typepad.com/texas_lawyer_blog/2008/08/court-rules-aga.html