The upcoming Nov. 8 election could be the last one where no photo identification will be needed to vote if the state’s new voter I.D. law is given the needed pre-clearance by the U.S. Department of Justice. Jacque Callanen, Bexar County elections administrator, said normally the review takes 60 days.
“The Texas Secretary of State’s office says that could be by the end of next week,” Callanen said. According to the Voting Rights Act, any possible changes to the state’s election laws require pre-clearance because of the state’s history of discriminatory voting practices.
The state’s Voter I.D. law, enacted last May after years of debate, requires voters to have one of five designated forms of photo identification.
“Probably 60 to 70 percent of our voters already show up to the polls with their driver’s license,” Callanen said.
Callanen said regardless of any possible legal action, if the needed pre-clearance is given, “that will be sufficient for us to move forward until and unless someone challenges this statewide.”
Full Article: Elections Office In Limbo Over Voter ID Law – San Antonio & Texas News Story – KSAT San Antonio.
