Image by George Olcott. Image used under Creative Commons license.
Claiming that the Obama Administration is “hostile” toward voter ID laws, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbot is suing for approval of its 2011 law.
The state is required to seek federal approval before implementing changes to voting laws due to its history in discriminating against citizens of color. Recently, the Justice Department delayed approval, asking for more information on how the new law would be implemented and how it would affect voters. But, Abbot wants the law implemented “as soon as possible.”
“To fast-track that authority, Texas is taking legal action in a D.C. court seeking approval of its voter identification law,” Abbot said in a statement. ”Although today’s legal action asks the federal court to approve its voter identification law, the State’s preclearance submission remains pending with the DOJ… If the DOJ approves the law, the State will dismiss its lawsuit.”
According to the Associated Press, “Minority groups have complained that the law is intended to discourage voting among the poor and elderly who are less likely to have a driver’s license. Data produced by the Texas Secretary of State’s office appears to support that contention, but state officials insist the data is too flawed to consider when deciding whether the law should be enforced.”
The voter ID law would require all voters to present valid, photographic proof of ID in order to receive a regular ballot. Accepted ID includes driver’s license, military ID, passport, or license to carry a concealed weapon.
Abbot says the new law would “help deter and detect election fraud.” However photo ID laws only stop voter impersonation, an extremely rare form of voter fraud and Abbot’s own office conducted an investigation in 2008 that found absolutely no in-person voter fraud that could be stopped by a voter ID law. Texas law also punishes anyone who knowingly commits voter impersonation fraud with a third degree felony.
As Project Vote stated on the day of law’s enactment, “the signing into law of SB 14 represents a setback for democracy in the State of Texas, and another blow delivered in what has become a nationwide assault on voting rights.”
