CORPUS CHRISTI (Kiii News) -
A three-judge federal panel in Washington struck down a Texas law on Thursday, which would require voters to present photo identification before they could vote in November.
The court said the law violates the Constitution by imposing a strict, unforgiving burden on the poor. The judges also said racial minorities in Texas are more likely to live in poverty.
In Corpus Christi on Thursday, Nueces County Republican Spokesman Bob Jones and the County Democratic Chair Joseph Ramirez spoke to Kiii News about the ruling.
"What are they saying? That we have a nation of idiots? Individuals have to use photo ID if they want to use a check card in a Wal-Mart, for God's sake. They use photo ID for just about anything, opening a bank account," Jones said. "Why is it hard that an individual show a photo ID that they have the right to exercise the franchise. Voting is what America is all about."
"It is very specific in the Constitution that no fee shall be assessed when voting," Ramirez said. "Because you do need an ID or a birth certificate to vote under the voter ID law, that means you'd have to go pay for one, and in some circumstances, people cannot go get an ID, let's just say for traffic tickets that are misdemeanors, that are not felonies. You're still able to vote, but you can't get a drivers license in the State of Texas if you go do that. If you do, you have to pay a large amount of fines. So any dollar that you put in in order to vote is considered a poll tax."
Texas is one of 16 states that have legislature-approved voter ID laws in place. There has been no word yet on whether Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott plans to appeal Thursday's ruling.
