Additional pleadings have been filed in the citizen’s lawsuit challenging the new Arkansas voter ID law that includes evidence the new law resulted in votes in a recent special election in Russellville not being counted. The 2017 law was passed after an earlier Arkansas Supreme Court ruling said the addition of a required photo ID to vote was an unconstitutional new barrier to voting. Thanks to that case, evidence has been compiled by the ACLU showing that more than 1,000 registered voters did not have votes counted because of the law. The new law tries to skirt that decision by calling the voter ID provision part of a new registration process allowed by the state Constitution. Its defenders argue that the law provides a way to cast a vote without an ID.
Jeff Priebe, attorney for plaintiff Barry Haas, noted in a pleading Friday that the new law had already invalidated votes in a small special Republican primary election in Pope County. He said one regular vote and one absentee ballot were not counted, according to records from the county clerk’s office.”
Wrote Priebe: “The effect of Act 633, just like the effect of Voter ID in 2014, is
being felt – the votes of registered voters in Arkansas are not and will not be counted.”
Full Article: Arkansas voter ID law an impediment to voting, lawsuit argues | Arkansas Blog.