Texas officials will be back in federal court next week to defend the state’s voter ID law, this time against accusations that they have failed to comply with judge-ordered changes for the November election. Monday’s hearing comes at the request of the U.S. Department of Justice, which filed a complaint last week arguing that Texas was misleading voters and poll workers about acceptable voting procedures and who will be eligible to cast a ballot on Nov. 8. Obama administration lawyers say Texas is violating U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos’ Aug. 10 order requiring state officials accept a wider array of identification — and spend at least $2.5 million informing voters of the changes — after a federal appeals court ruled that the Republican-favored voter ID law, enacted in 2011, discriminated against minority voters. “That order is of limited use if Texas refuses to train poll workers and educate voters accurately on its plain language and scope,” Justice Department lawyers told Ramos in the complaint.
Lawyers for Texas rejected arguments that the new voter-education efforts are inaccurate and confusing, telling Ramos that it would create more confusion to “bring the state’s election machinery to a halt” after “countless hours” have been spent updating websites, training workers, revising handbooks and recording commercials.
As part of its 9-6 ruling that the Texas voter ID law was discriminatory, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals returned the case to Ramos’ courtroom with instructions to create an interim fix for the November election and, at a later time, to determine whether the voter ID law was written to be intentionally discriminatory.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton plans to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the 5th Circuit Court’s ruling.
Full Article: Texas back in court over voter ID law | www.statesman.com.
