Appeals Court blocks Kansas, Alabama, Georgia on voter ID rule

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

U.S. | Sat Sep 10, 2016 12:25am EDT

Appeals Court blocks Kansas, Alabama, Georgia on voter ID rule

A U.S. Court of Appeals on Friday blocked an effort by Alabama, Georgia and Kansas for voters to furnish proof of citizenship when registering at the polls, which opponents say disenfranchises voters, especially minorities.

The decision effectively strikes down a rule that requires voters in the three states to provide proof they are United States citizens. Elsewhere, voters only need swear that they are citizens in order to cast a ballot.

"With just weeks to go before a critical presidential election, we are grateful to the court of appeals for stopping this thinly veiled discrimination in its tracks," Chris Carson, president of the League of Women Voters, which had sued to block the new requirements, said in a statement.

Conservatives in Republican-controlled states have moved to tighten voter identification rules ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

Supporters say tougher rules help prevent fraud, but in-person voter impersonation on election day is virtually non-existent, a 2012 study at Arizona State University showed. Opponents, mostly Democrats, say the rules discriminate against minorities.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-voterid-idUSKCN11G020

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. We had local elections a few weeks ago for Mayor.

We have always had to show ID, usually a driver's license does the trick.
But never ever proof of citizenship.
So that law, which was in effect, obviously in not applied at the local level.
Or maybe it was because we are white....dunno.

[kimbutgar]

2. And if they try to appeal to the Supreme Court they will affirm the lower courts rulings

Ha ha I love the rethugs are getting stopped everywhere!