Posted on 10/20/2006 2:09:23 PM PDT by Babu
24 minutes ago: WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court ruled Friday that Arizona may require voters to provide photo IDs when they cast their ballots next month.
The justices cautioned that they were not issuing a ruling on the constitutionality of Arizona's law. "As we have noted, the facts in these cases are hotly contested," the court said in an unsigned five-page order.
The ruling merely allows the Nov. 7 election to proceed with the photo ID law in place. Federal courts still will have to resolve a lawsuit contending that the law will disenfranchise numerous voters, particularly the elderly and minorities.
Courts in Georgia and Missouri have blocked similar laws.
Justice John Paul Stevens, in a brief concurring opinion, said the high court's action makes it more likely that the constitutional issues "will be resolved correctly on the basis of historical facts rather than speculation."
The law requires voters to prove citizenship when registering to vote and to show photo IDs when they go to the polls. The law was meant to make sure illegal immigrants weren't casting ballots.
Opponents of the law contend it discourages some people from voting, including the elderly, poor and disadvantaged who don't always carry IDs. Arizona residents, Indian tribes and community groups filed suit in May.
A federal judge ruled the state could enforce the law. But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals later blocked it from taking effect for the Nov. 7 election.
In his bid to allow the state to go forward, Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard told the justices that "voter registration at the polls is an emerging issue of national importance. States have a compelling interest in curbing fraud and protecting the integrity of elections."
Voters without proper ID may cast provisional ballots and furnish identification within five business days of the election.
Lacking photo identification, voters still can cast ballots during the state's early voting period. State officials said there is ample time to compare signatures on the ballot with those on registration rolls.
I don't think photo id's should be required on driver's licenses....it disenfranchise the poor and elderly who can't sit to get their picture took.
Nor should they require photo id's at the airport check-in stations....it disenfranchises poor and elderly islamo-fascists who aren't allowed to get their picture took.
Nor should they require photo id's at the alcohol and tobacco check-out counters...it disenfranchises poor and young alike who are unfortunate enough to look underage.
Photo id's for everything else in the world, but not for voting.
Idiots.
However mostly the dead dem voters.
Why do the Democrats assume their voters are too dumb to get photo IDs?
This will cause much whining and gnashing of teeth among the Dems.
It will not affect the Missouri opinion, which was decided on state constitutional grounds. The only affect it could have is to cause the MO Court to reconsider, but that court is the final arbiter of its own Constitution. In this case where its Constitution is interpeted as being more strict than the federal constitution but not violating it, their ruling will stand.
Georgia is another story. The court there is one that was carefully selected by Dems. While not a substantive ruling, it sends a powerful message (a request to Kennedy to lift an injunction referred to the whole Court, which acted unanimously) to lower courts not to mess with elections in such a manner, so close to an election. Though I am not sure procedurally where that case is, this ruling might give the appellate court a reason to allow the photo ID requirement to remain while the case is decided.
It also may affect the 7th Circuit's deliberation in the Indiana case in which oral argument was heard last week. Widely predicted to uphold the photo req., this may give them some confidence to be bold.
Voting without proof of idenity is ok but getting on an airplane or entering a courthouse isn`t? One more thing I don`t understand.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus
It take many more moons for Indian tribes to file suit than it does to get ID to vote. /Indian lingo
"The ruling merely allows the Nov. 7 election to proceed with the photo ID law in place."
Merely? You can just tell the AP is deeply saddened.
In fact, the justices took a slap at their colleagues on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for issuing their original order in the first place. They said the appellate judges provided no reason that they issued the legal stay in the first place and overturned the original order of the trial judge who actually heard the evidence.
The 9th Circuit is such a joke.
Picture this: A hugh, hugh smile in anticipation of a SCOTUS smackdown. All your votes are belong to us.
HA HA! This was a great smack down for the 9th circus court of appeals. I wish that NM would be forced to show ID cards. Our secretary of state had plastic ID cards made for every registered voter but we can't use them now. The cards cost taxpayers over a million dollars, but our RAT Governor Bill Richardson has taken NM back to paper ballots. Now, they can get away with voter fraud and give the election to the RAT Party.
In addition to that, he's allowed illegal aliens to obtain NM driver's licenses. Then they could use them as IDs to register to vote. All of the illegal votes are going to be counted, and you can bet that they will ALL vote for RATS! As if that isn't bad enough, just today it was announced that the RAT secretary of the State sent out 1300 absentee ballots to the same people twice. The only thing they are telling people to do is "not to use one of those ballots." Riiiiight!!!!
What happens in NM is up to your legislature now.
Women and Minorities Hardest Hit
I moved to PA from Arizona two and a half years ago... I STILL get absentee ballots sent to me. I just got one about a week ago in fact. Too bad I can't vote out that nasty Napolitano... she is awful. Tempting, but I won't! :)
Good news bump!
Hmmm....
Why do the Democrats assume their voters are too dumb to get photo IDs?
Well, many of them are dead!!
I think she will win, Munsil has been AWOL in Western Arizona.
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