Appeals Court Weighs Allowing Revamped Voter ID Law

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Texas officials hoped to persuade federal appeals judges in New Orleans on Tuesday that the state's latest voter identification law should be allowed to take effect. A hearing at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals centered on a law re-worked in May by the Texas Legislature after years of court battles. The new version allows those without an acceptable photo ID to vote by signing an affidavit stating they cannot reasonably obtain one. "We appreciated the opportunity to inform the 5th Circuit that the Legislature passed Senate Bill 5 last session to comply with the changes that this court ordered to the original voter ID law, Senate Bill 14, from 2011," Attorney General Paxton said in a written statement following the hearing. "Those who challenged the voter ID law cannot identify one person who faces a substantial burden to voting under the reasonable-impediment exception of the revised law. We're hopeful the 5th Circuit will uphold Texas' common-sense voter ID law."  Continue reading...