U.S. top court declines to block Texas voter ID law

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

World | Fri Apr 29, 2016 12:00pm EDT

U.S. top court declines to block Texas voter ID law

WASHINGTON | BY LAWRENCE HURLEY

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday rejected a bid to block a controversial Texas law that requires voters to show identification before voting, but left the door open to a renewed challenge before the November elections.

The court denied a request filed by opponents of the law, including individual Texas voters, who say the law is not needed and disproportionately affects older and poorer voters, including minorities, who are less likely to have identification papers.

The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is due to rehear the case on May 24. The high court's order said if the lower court has not acted on the case by July 20, then the opponents could renew their application to block the law ahead of the elections.

"The court recognizes the time constraints the parties confront in light of the scheduled elections in November 2016," the order said.

The Texas measure requires voters to present a photo identification such as a driver's license, passport, military ID card or a concealed handgun license.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-texasvoting-idUSKCN0XQ1Y6

[Gothmog]

1. Actually this order is somewhat encouraging

The 5th Circuit issued its 3-0 opinion striking down the Texas voter id law back on August 5, 2015 and the full 5th Circuit sat on ruling whether the case will receive en banc review until April. There is a deadline which means that the 5th Circuit could not sit on this case. I was afraid that one of the truly crazy idiots on the 5th Circuit (Edith Jones or P. Owen) would sit on their dissent until after the Nov. general election