Atty. Gen. Jim Hood says the Department of Justice has asked for more information on Mississippi’s voter identification law. Hood said in a statement Tuesday that the bottom line is that the law will not be pre-cleared by the Justice Department in time for it to be enforced for the Nov. 6 election. Mississippi’s law provides for a wide range of photo identifications that could be used at the polling places. Supporters of voter ID say it’s needed to help ensure the integrity of elections by preventing people from voting under others’ names. Opponents say there’s been little proof of people masquerading as others to cast ballots. They also contend the ID requirement could suppress voter turnout among poor, elderly and minority voters. “All the DOJ is saying in this response is that they need more details of the state’s plan in order to make a determination,” Hood said. “What this means is that the voter ID requirement will not be in place before the November election. You will not be required to show ID at the poll until DOJ interposes no objections or pre-clears Mississippi’s voter ID bill.”
Hood said some of the requested information is already compiled and can be easily provided. Once the state provides the requested information, Hood said the DOJ will have 60 days to respond. In its letter to the state, the Justice Department asked Hood’s office whether the state has determined that voter ID “will not have a retrogressive effect on minority citizens in the effective exercise of their electoral franchise”. The DOJ also asks to review a detailed description of any measures the state intends to put in place to “ameliorate this prohibited effect,” which Hood said would include the rules and regulations being created by Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann.
Full Article: Mississippi voter ID law getting federal scrutiny » The Commercial Appeal.