In recent years, the Texas legislature passed a law that required a state-issued photo ID in order to vote. By passing this law, a number of questions have been raised regarding the recent passing of legislation in Texas that requires individuals to possess a state-issued photo ID in order to be allowed to vote. However, some people argue that the law would suppress the voter turnout because it would restrict some groups of people from voting. Question regarding are also raised about how much power states have in the regulation of election, especially considering the fact that federal standard have broader law such as the Voting Rights Act and relevant constitutional provisions.
When we look at the voter I.D Law we have to look at how the law came to be. In 2011, the Texas Legislature passed a Senate Bill that ultimately required a form of phot identification in any type of a Texas election. While this bill was being reviewed in the judiciary, the Supreme Court issued its opinion in Shelby County vs Holder, which …show more content…
According to the U.S. Constitution, individuals have the fundamental right to vote, and the eligibility to vote is established by the Constitution, its amendments, as well as by the state law (Goldman 2008). However, the provisions of the Constitution and the federal law are not absolute because the states are given some discretion to set their own qualifications for voting. The states can set their own criteria that voters have to meet in order to be eligible to vote. While the states have the power to establish such criteria, the U.S. Constitution does not allow the states to deny individuals who have attained the age of eighteen or older the right to vote. Meanwhile, the states can allow minors to vote if they wish to do so because the Constitution does not establish the minimum to vote (Goldman et al.,
When we look at the voter I.D Law we have to look at how the law came to be. In 2011, the Texas Legislature passed a Senate Bill that ultimately required a form of phot identification in any type of a Texas election. While this bill was being reviewed in the judiciary, the Supreme Court issued its opinion in Shelby County vs Holder, which …show more content…
According to the U.S. Constitution, individuals have the fundamental right to vote, and the eligibility to vote is established by the Constitution, its amendments, as well as by the state law (Goldman 2008). However, the provisions of the Constitution and the federal law are not absolute because the states are given some discretion to set their own qualifications for voting. The states can set their own criteria that voters have to meet in order to be eligible to vote. While the states have the power to establish such criteria, the U.S. Constitution does not allow the states to deny individuals who have attained the age of eighteen or older the right to vote. Meanwhile, the states can allow minors to vote if they wish to do so because the Constitution does not establish the minimum to vote (Goldman et al.,