Justice Dept. Approves Georgia Voter I.D. Law

A revised law requiring Georgians to show government-issued photo ID when voting cleared an important hurdle Friday, gaining approval of the U.S. Department of Justice.

But whether voters will have to present a photo ID at the polls for the upcoming July 18 primaries is still unknown as a federal lawsuit challenging the law is still pending. The law has also been challenged in a state court.

In October, U.S. District Court Judge Harold Murphy halted enforcement of Georgia's photo voter ID law because it appeared unconstitutional. Murphy wrote in his opinion that requiring voters to pay for a voter ID card amounted to a poll tax, and noted that getting such an ID card was difficult in rural areas and for the elderly.

Earlier this year, the Georgia General Assembly revised the law, making a voter ID card free for anyone who asks and requiring a location be set up in all of the state's 159 counties where the IDs are made available.

The law makes Georgia one of seven states to require a voter to show a government-issued photo identification before casting a ballot.

[Source: AJC]

My previous posts on the Georgia Voter I.D. Law:

Governor Signs Georgia Voter I.D. Law… Again.
Georgia House Passes Voter ID Bill
Georgia Voter ID, Part Deux
Georgia State Senate Debates Voter ID Law. Again.
Georgia House Passes Voter ID Law Changes

U.S. Court Denies Appeal On Voter I.D.

Boortz On Yesterday's Voter I.D. Decision

Georgia Voter I.D. Law On Hold

Nothing More Than A Poll Tax?

So What's New

The New Georgia Voting Law

The Georgia Voter ID Bus

The NY Times Is Full Of It