Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is looking to make a final argument to uphold the state’s voter identification law.
Friday, the state filed an appeal asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate the 2011 law that required voters to produce a form of photo identification at the voting booths.
The appeal will not have an effect on this year’s election. Several experts have called this law one of the toughest voting identification measures in the country.
In a release, Paxton called the voter identification a safeguard to the, ‘integrity of elections-essential to preserving democracy.”
In July, the U.S. Appeals Court struck down the Voter ID Law, saying it violated the Voting Rights Act. If upheld Texans would be required to show one of 7 state or federal ID’S at the voting booth.
Experts have said this can potentially disenfranchise voters who may not be able to meet the requirements. Rebecca Larsen, with Waco Immigration Alliance said accessing the necessary documents for identification can be a problem.
"It sounds simple but for people who are elderly with disabilities who don't have access to certain types of transportation, they may not be able to get a birth certificate to get the ID. Also people who can't afford to go through these steps can't get off of work or just not able to do it in time to be able to vote,” Larsen said.
Currently, there are seven forms of identification that are accepted. Texas also accepts the following supporting types of identification:
- Valid voter registration certificate
- Certified birth certificate (must be an original)
- Copy of or original current utility bill
- Copy of or original bank statement
- Copy of or original government check
- Copy of or original paycheck
- Copy of or original government document with your name and an address (original required if it contains a photograph)
Voter registration ends October 11.
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