Feds Reject Texas Voter ID Law
Updated, 3:30 p.m.
The Texas NAACP and the Mexican American Legislative Caucus filed a motion to intervene in the state’s lawsuit against the federal government that seeks immediate implementation of the state’s voter ID law. During a conference call this afternoon with reporters, attorneys for the groups said the lawsuit will move forward independently, despite today’s decision by the Department of Justice.
“I expect that Texas will come in and complain to the D.C. court about the objection letter. But formally, technically the state in this lawsuit has the burden of proof,” said Bob ...
Comments (32)
Lucian Villasenor via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Take that xenophobic lawmakers!
Carolyn Moon via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Does that mean we can't all crowd the DPS to get our free voter ID? I'm disappoinmted.
Liz Theiss via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Not allowed to defend sovereignty eh? Those clever communists.
JoAnn Livingston via Texas Tribune on Facebook
first the voter maps and now the ID law. election date reset ... and reset. public education and women's health/rights in question. the secessionists should stop worrying. texas is well on its way to being a third world country.
Ginni Watson Robinson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Voter fraud is so miniscule; vote counting is the problem. Good move, DOJ.
Mike Openshaw via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Problem is, the Supreme COurt has already ruled on a similar law as being constitutional- for Georgia, which als falls under Section 5. As soo as the SUpremes get this one, the DOJ is reversed- properly.
Mac Mcclure via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Just wait until November. There is enough dislike for the Obama Democrat party that no matter how many times an illegal votes it will not change the Republican tsunami. Remember the 2010 election.
Martha Dunkelberger via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Dream on Mac.
Marisol Rodriguez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Indeed Martha.
Ginni Watson Robinson via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Wow, Mac. It takes a brilliant thinker to come to the conclusion that Texas is a red state. But speaking nationally, the Republican tsunami will be one epic catasrtrophe.
Beverly Nuckols
The Constitution does not mandate that all the big decisions will be made by the Courts and bureaucrats and only the inconsequential will be made by the Legislature.
This is overreaching and poor (pointed, result-driven) use of statistics.
How many "Hispanics" don't have "Spanish surnames?" How many with Spanish surnames don't consider themselves disadvantaged?
Mark Brown
So it's ok for Georgia, Tennesee, Kansas, and Indiana to have strict voter ID laws but TX isn't allowed to? TX deserves the same treatment under the law as every other state.
Nancy Baughn via Texas Tribune on Facebook
YES!! Thank God for the USDOJ!!
Patti Franz
Everyone must show a photo ID (and have it scanned) to get in a public school in Arlington ISD. You can't take a standardized test without a VALID ID. You can't get on an airplane without an ID. You can't buy beer or cigarettes without an ID. What's wrong with an ID to vote? It's easy to get a Texas ID card. How are people registering to vote if they aren't legal? It has nothing to do with race! That's nonsense. This should fall under states rights.
Dave Mundy via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Keep it up, Mr. Obama. Every time you try to tighten your grip, more Texans realize that our only option is independence.
GS Crispus
When did we start equating the requirements of a standardized test to a constitutionally granted right to vote?
Why do you require me to meet a higher standard than having my voter registration? Where is your evidence that voter registration is not doing the job of preventing fraud? Why do you conservatives wish to take away my freedom to vote? Why on Earth is a driver's license essential to the process, when so many other forms of identification (including registration) sufficed to keep the rolls safe from fraud?
Only someone who hates America would attempt to restrict my right to vote based on such xenophobic grounds. Why do you hate America?
Linda Myers
Patti Franz
Everyone must show a photo ID (and have it scanned) to get in a public school in Arlington ISD. You can't take a standardized test without a VALID ID. You can't get on an airplane without an ID. You can't buy beer or cigarettes without an ID. What's wrong with an ID to vote?
Patti? Not one of your examples is a right guaranteed by the Constitution, voting IS. Don't confuse commercial transactions with the franchise to vote.
Ron Blancarte via Texas Tribune on Facebook
@Dave - Uh, you do realize that states cannot secede from the United States, right?
Sergio Hernandez De Santos via Texas Tribune on Facebook
¡Que Bueno que el DOJ tiene cojones! I'm so tired of the G0P's discrimination euphemisms
Como dice Lucian Villaseñor ! Tomenla legisladores genofobicos!
Eric Dana Jensen via Texas Tribune on Facebook
So much time wasted again by Republicans.
Joe Estep via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Since when do you have to prove a negative?
jpt51
A.G. Abbott's talk is cheap. If you walk into the Georgetown DPS office today expect a three hour wait. If, like my mother @ 85 and using a walker, a three hour wait isn’t going to cut it. She would give up the 1st hour and that’s what the Legislature is hoping for. The elderly and disabled are impacted by this law as are the poor who can't leave low paying jobs to register without losing their jobs.
To get a Tx. ID you need a birth certificate. To get a birth certificate you need an ID. It's a Republican Catch 22!
Congratulations to the U.S. Constitution and DOJ for ensuring our right to vote.
Tim Tukaram Spotswood via Texas Tribune on Facebook
As soon as towns got too big for everyone to know everyone else ID should have been required. This is such a non-issue. We are one of the few countries that would even argue over something this stupid.
Sergio Hernandez De Santos via Texas Tribune on Facebook
If the government would required ev'rybody to have IDs, the G0P will be the first to say " that is a over mandate !!! " come up with a better one, discrimination by ANY other name is still discrimation
Rudy Gonzales
Of course the feds blocked this voter limitations law. There are enough gooks and kooks trying their best to limit people's vote. Those who do not need a drivers license, those who cannot get a photo ID and those who would be held back from voting just because the color of their skin. More than a dozen states have enacted new voting restrictions, including eight — Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin — that passed variations of a rule requiring photo identification. Idaho and Oklahoma passed similar legislation in 2010, as did Utah in 2009. In 2008 New Mexico pass this legislation. Ohio and Georgia passed voter restrictions in 2006 while Missouri tightened their voter laws. In 2003, Voter ID laws passed in Alabama, Colorado, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota where the Republican Party was in charge. Fourteen states dominated by the TEA-GOP-Republican Party have changed the rules for voters since President Obama was elected into office. If you are sick and tired of the constant confrontational attitude of this current Congress, get started. Be sure and register if not registered, get involved local as that's where the most control is exerted and vote in November to clean house of the fringe tangent shutting down progress.
The above posted by a concerned American of Mexican descent who has seen the bigotry and prejudice up front and personal. Right here in Texas! Bigotry comes in all forms, even from those who have been corrupted by falsehoods and lies their entire life.
Les Hassell via Texas Tribune on Facebook
So, does this mean I can now buy a gun without ID? I mean, wouldn't it also be discriminatory toward Hispanic gun enthusiasts to require an ID to purchase a firearm?
Russell Bell via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Apparently some have not studied their history...Texas is a Republic and as such CAN secede from the Union. Besides, if you are against having a photo ID, then either you have something to hide or maybe you just flat out don't belong here. The rest of us have IDs and show them whenever it is required..get an ID and get over it or get out! Pretty simple really. Wonder if the lawyers and the folks creating all fuss have IDs...bet they do!
gypsy314 ne
I do not see how minority's are a issue when Texas tax payer is providing a ID no charge FREE. Only illegal aliens and democrats are crying foul because they plan to try and cheat go figure. good thing supreme court has already rule on this law and should be a slam dunk to be upheld. Then what cheating democrats and illegal aliens???
lewis ramsey
Georgia is covered by the Voting Rights Act and has a voter id law. It was precleared by the Bush Administration DOJ in 2006. It was not and have not been approved by any Federal Court.
Indiana is not covered by the Voting Rights Act. As such it was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court under the rational basis standard where states are given great deference in promulgating its laws. The burden of proof is different under the Voting Rights Act.
The constitution gives congress the specific authority to enact laws to prevent the denial and ABRIDGEMENT of minority voting righs. The Voting RIghts Act was promulgated pursuant to this constitutional authority.
Bob Whitlock via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Who knows that Mexico requires a voter ID?
Bob Whitlock via Texas Tribune on Facebook
The Voter ID card in Mexico contains a photo, signature, and thumbprint, but we think that requiring a voter ID is the US is some gargantuan, insurmountable task? How about cashing a check, or signing up for utilities, traveling, driving an automobile? Positive ID required. To me, it tarnishes our most fundamental right as citizens to think that we can't go thru the trouble of obtaining a free ID.
raffaele cafagna
ONLY AMERICAN CITIZENS ARE ENTITLED TO VOTE : ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE ILLEGAL .
THIS IS TEXAS NOT D.C. ; OBAMA RETRIEVE TO YOUR SATANIC CAVE ; WE TEXANS ARE FREE PEOPLE IN A FREE STATE AND VOTER ID IS A MUST.
UNIMAGINABLE VOTER FRAUD
.It has recently come to light that the SOE Corporation based in Tampa, FL was purchased by the Spanish online voting company SKYTL. SOE was the largest vote processing corporation in the United States; recording, counting and reporting the votes in 26 American States. This encompasses 900 total jurisdictions across the nation. SKYTL is based in Spain, which means the votes in the 2012 Presidential election will now be counted in a foreign country.
Simply stated, our votes will now be routed to a centralized, privately held server in Barcelona, Spain where the opportunity exists to alter the outcome of the election in Barack Obama's favor. The CEO of SKYTL, Pere Valles, is a known Socialist who resided in Illinois during Barack Obama's tenure as a United States Senator and donated heavily to his 2008 election campaign.
Our military overseas will again be disenfranchised as they will be voting online and SKYTL will control the method of voting.
The stage has been set for unimaginable voter fraud as there will be no paper ballots and, thus, no way for the voting public to authenticate who actually cast the votes or the count.
We, the citizens of TEXAS, demand that you as our United States elected official representing the State of Florida stand up and not only loudly denounce this fraud being perpetrated on the American people, but effectively stop it. Our future and the future of our Country hangs in the balance.
Remember Obama's statement to Medvedev, "After my election". Apparently he is supremely confidant everything is firmly in place to make that a reality.