Texas’s Voter ID law is in the spotlight again as the state considers appealinga Federal ruling that deemed the law unconstitutional. Last month, a Federal judge ruled that the law violates the U.S. law prohibiting racial discrimination in elections.
Texas officials still claim that the law prevents fraud by ineligible voters impersonating other people. However, only 15 fraud cases have been prosecuted by the Texas attorney general between the 2012 primary election and July of this year. Of those, not a single one involved impersonation, reports The Texas Tribune. Eleven of the 15 involved cases where people hired by local candidates collected and mailed ballots for elderly local voters. Those cases would remain illegal regardless of the Voter ID law.
In November, people without ID will be allowed to vote if they sign a sworn statement. A spokesman for the Texas attorney general said “this case is not over.” The agency is pondering an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.