A Voter ID Victory

[Valin]

WSJ:

Pennsylvania's new law passes a legal test, as it should on the merits.

8/17/12

 

Chalk up another one for voter ID laws and representative politics. On Wednesday, a Pennsylvania judge refused to block a new Keystone State ID law from going into effect, handing a defeat to the ACLU and Attorney General Eric Holder's campaign to demonize such laws as racist.

 

Judge Robert Simpson didn't rule on the state constitutional merits, which he will hear later. But he sensibly refused to overturn a law duly passed by an elected legislature and signed by the Governor that applies equally to all Pennsylvania residents. He said the state government will carry out the law in a "non-partisan, even-handed manner" and so deserves to be put into effect until the larger issues can be decided.

 

The ACLU says it will appeal, but it's notable that the left-wing legal group specifically avoided arguing this case in federal court. That's because the U.S. Supreme Court has already held (in 2008 in Crawford v. Marion County) that a similar Indiana law requiring photo ID is constitutional and not an undue burden on voters for the sake of ensuring accurate elections.

 

(Snip)

 

*The new Pennsylvania law is also in the cross-hairs of Mr. Holder's Justice Department, and you can expect a lawsuit before Election Day. Like the ACLU, Mr. Holder wants to use the voter ID issue to cry "Jim Crow" and drum up minority turnout in what could be a close contest in Pennsylvania this year. Good for Judge Simpson for putting the law above the politics.

 

 

* But then I am so easily shocked.

[clearvision]

I think for states that are not on the short list for things done in the past, a similar voter ID law was upheld by the Supreme Court.