Washington, DC-(Friday, August 31, 2012) – Yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia rejected Texas’s Voter ID law, Senate Bill 14 (SB 14), which would have required voters to present a government-issued photo ID. In its decision, the Court noted that the law would have imposed “strict, unforgiving burdens on the poor,” and that minority voters are more likely to live in poverty. 

“This ruling is another solid victory for the state of Texas. The Texas Voter ID law would have disenfranchised hundreds of thousands of seniors, students, low-income individuals, minorities, and people with disabilities,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “Overturning this law will preserve the integrity of our elections, and ensure that every American has equal access to the polls. I applaud the Court’s decision to reject this discriminatory law, and I look forward to fair and open elections in November.”

Under the Voting Rights Act, Texas and several other states with a history of discriminatory practices, must obtain “pre-clearance” from the Department of Justice or a declaratory judgment from the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia in order to implement any changes to election laws.

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U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson is the highest-ranking Texan on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and a senior member of the Science Committee. She represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas, which, includes Downtown Dallas, Fair Park, Oak Lawn, Turtle Creek,Old East Dallas, Pleasant Grove, & South Oak Cliff; all of Balch Springs, DeSoto, Hutchins, Lancaster & Wilmer and parts of Cedar Hill, Duncanville, Ferris, Glenn Heights and Ovilla.