Texas' Voter ID Law Stands

Last week, a Democrat district judge ruled Texas’ voter ID law unconstitutional.

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott (R) appealed.

Today, the law stands.

The State of Texas can use its new voter ID law again in next’s month’s election, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday, putting on hold an order a district court issued just last week barring enforcement of the law.

“Based primarily on the extremely fast-approaching election date, we STAY the district court’s judgment pending appeal,” 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Edith Clement wrote, in a ruling joined by Judge Catharina Haynes (and posted here). “This is not a run-of-the-mill case; instead, it is a voting case decided on the eve of the election….The judgment below substantially disturbs the election process of the State of Texas just nine days before early voting begins. Thus, the value of preserving the status quo here is much higher than in most other contexts.”