Texas Democrats cheer voter ID ruling

Texas Democrats — the underdogs in state politics for decades — scored a legal victory Wednesday, and U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, who led the legal fight against the voter ID law, was quick to cheer the decision.

“I challenged the state of Texas, asserting that the new voter photo ID requirements are discriminatory at the expense of minority participation,” said Veasey, D-Fort Worth. “I am proud that with this decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit has taken the first steps towards ensuring that all Texans have unfettered access to the ballot box.”

The appeals court sent part of the case back to a lower court for review.

“I am confident that on remand, the district court will once again find that this law was discriminatory in intent, as well as effect, and will invalidate the statute’s voter photo ID requirements,” Veasey said in a statement. “Now it’s time for Governor Abbott and Attorney General Paxton to end the hostility against Texas voters.”

Tarrant County Justice of the Peace Sergio De Leon, who was among those who challenged the law, said Wednesday’s ruling is good news.

“I am proud to declare victory on behalf of every person exercising their right to vote,” De Leon said. “I … am pleased that we … were able to prove that this legislation was intended to have a discriminatory effect: to diminish minority voting.

“There was no identity fraud to combat, and this legislation was designed to make it harder for certain people to vote, and that is flat wrong.”

There was no word about the impact of the ruling.

Alicia Pierce, spokeswoman for the Texas secretary of state’s office, which oversees elections, said the office is reviewing the decision.

State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, said Wednesday’s ruling was flat-out wrong.

“Republicans, Democrats and independents alike want common-sense voter ID laws so that we can secure our elections from fraud and abuse,” he said. “This is yet another flawed ruling from our federal courts legislating from the bench.”

Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said it’s a victory for all Texas voters.

“Republicans made it harder for African-Americans and Latinos to cast their vote at the ballot box,” he said. “We remain confident that the courts will find justice for Texas voters and ultimately strike down this racist and discriminatory law.”

Looking ahead

Former state Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, said she believes the state will appeal.

“But the essence of the finding was that this law had a discriminatory impact on minority voters in the state of Texas,” said Davis, who wasn’t named in the lawsuit but was involved in the case.

Davis, who ran for governor last year, noted that the voter ID law was allowed to be in place during the 2014 elections.

“A large number of people were disenfranchised,” she said. “But going forward, minority voters who were denied access to the ballot box will no longer be denied.”

This story was originally published August 5, 2015 at 3:00 PM with the headline "Texas Democrats cheer voter ID ruling."