League of Women Voters seek to join federal suit against Voter ID

April 4, 2012

South Carolina: The League of Women Voters has requested to join a federal challenge to the Voter ID law recently passed in South Carolina. The law was passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Nikki Haley and requires that all voters in the state have a form of government-issued photo ID.

The federal Justice Department blocked the law in December of 2011, saying that it might disenfranchise poor and minority citizens and that it fails to meet some requirements of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. That Act requires Justice Department approval of South Carolina election laws due to the state's failures in the past at upholding the rights of black voters.

The League of Women Voters want to join the suit saying that they would be unable to fulfill their mission of facilitating civic participation, and would instead have to focus attention on educating the public about the new requirements for acceptable photo identification.

See also

• Voter ID law struck down in Texas, March 15, 2012
• Injunctions bar enforcement of voter ID law in April election, Wisconsin, March 12, 2012
• North Carolina Governor vetoes voter ID bill, June 28, 2011
• Michigan voter ID Law ruled constitutional, 2007
• Georgia's voter ID bill struck down, 2006