Federal Appeals Court Rules Texas Voter ID Law Violates Voting Rights Act

(Press Release) Austin, TX — Today the Texas Voter ID Law enacted in 2011 was found by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to have a discriminatory effect. The law requires that voters present an approved form of government-issued photo ID in order to be able to cast their ballot at the polls.

The Texas Voter ID law has disenfranchised thousands of potential voters due to lack of compliant identification. Specifically, the Voter ID law has had discriminatory effects on Hispanics and African-Americans. According to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, “the effect on black and Latino voters is disproportionate…Hispanic registered voters are 3.2 times more likely than white voters to lack ID and black registered voters are 2.3 times more likely to lack ID.”

“The 5th Circuit found what we have been saying for the last 5 years,” Nevárez said. “The law doesn’t protect the integrity of voting, it in fact, and according to one of the most conservative panels in the country, makes voting harder. It noted that the state spent very little in resources in educating its voters about this. This was intentional.”

The 5th Circuit panel has sent the case back down to the district court to determine a remedy to the discriminatory effect before Election Day in November.

Representative Poncho Nevárez represents the counties of Brewster, Culberson, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Kinney, Loving, Maverick, Pecos, Presidio, Reeves, Terrell, and Val Verde. Representative Nevárez currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee, member of the Natural Resources Committee, and member of the Local and Consent Calendars Committee. Representative Nevárez serves as the Vice-Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and Treasurer of the Border Caucus.