by Peter Lyn René - Published Online - January 25, 2017



On January 23, 2017, the United State Supreme court declined to hear an appeal from the government of Texas over its Voter ID Law, previously struck down as unconstitutional by a lower appellate court.  The ruling comes three days after the President Trump administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ).   On Friday January 20, 2016, hours after his inauguration of 46^th President of the United States, they asked for a delay in the case because of a change of leadership in the country. In 2014, Texas enacted some of the toughest voter ID laws in the country, requiring citizens to have a state issued ID present at the time of voting. Driver Licenses and gun permits were acceptable forms of ID; however, student IDs could not be used.

The Republican controlled Texas Legislature who argued that the new laws would prevent voter fraud and ensure integrity of the election process passed the law.  However, the Democrats differed in their opinion and saw it as an attempt to suppress minority voter turnout.  On Wednesday August 5, 2015, the United States Courts of Appeal for the Fifth Circuit struck down the Texas Voter ID law saying that it not only violated U.S. Voting Rights Act but it also had discriminatory effects on minority voters.
Though plaintiffs argued, the law would hit elderly and poorer voters, including minorities, hardest because they are less likely to have such identification; and while I believe the law was discriminatory in nature, I believe that everyone should have a basic government issued ID.  Having said that, the court made the correct decision for the very reason I stated: the Republican-led Texas Legislature was well aware that the majority of citizens without government issued IDs are the elderly, poor voters including minorities
Link to the full Research Paper.