The U.S. Justice Department agreed to defer further proceedings in a lawsuit filed by Texas over the state’s voter identification law until the Supreme Court rules whether part of the Voting Rights Act is constitutional. Attorney General Eric Holder, in a filing today in federal court in Washington, said the department could wait for the Supreme Court to review a provision of the 1965 law that requires all or part of 16 mostly Southern states to get federal approval before changing their voting rules.
The Supreme Court said on Nov. 9 it would consider a case brought by Shelby County, Alabama, which objects to the formula under the law used to determine which jurisdictions are subject to Section 5 of act.
“The Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County may provide critical guidance in resolving” the case, Holder said.
Full Article: Texas Voter ID Suit May Await Related High Court Ruling – Businessweek.
