New voter ID laws in Alabama and other states could suppress turnout at the polls, particularly among blacks and the elderly, civil rights groups told Senate lawmakers on Thursday.
Studies show that millions of Americans don’t have the type of identification required under the new laws, Justin Levitt, an associate professor at Loyola Law School, said after a hearing of a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on civil rights. “That’s an awful lot of people to shut out for no reason,” he said.
Republicans counter that the new laws are needed to prevent voter fraud. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Illinois, chairman of the civil rights subcommittee, said he’s “deeply concerned by this coordinated, well- funded effort to pass laws that could have the impact of suppressing votes in some states.”
This year saw an increase in the number of states enacting laws that, among other changes, reduce the time allowed for early voting and impose more restrictions on groups conducting voter registration drives. The more controversial laws require voters to show government-issued photo identification.
Voter ID will be on the Nov. 8 ballot in Mississippi along with statewide races, including for governor. Republican organizers spent about a year collecting signatures for a statewide referendum on the issue after lawmakers failed to approve a bill after years of debate.
Full Article: Voter ID laws suppress turnout by blacks, elderly, panel told | The Clarion-Ledger | clarionledger.com.