The controversial new law in Mississippi that requires voters to have a photo ID to vote at the polls will not go into effect prior to the general election in November. Federal officials announced they had to review whether or not the new law is discriminatory.
In just one day, two states had setbacks for their controversial voter ID laws. A judge in Pennsylvania announced that officials in the state had to delay the implementation of the new ID law until after the election on November 6. Last November, a voter ID law was approved overwhelmingly by voters. However, as part of its implementation, the state did not provide sufficient evidence to the U.S. Justice Department so it could determine if the new measure would violate the 1965 Voting Rights Act, said a spokesperson for the DOJ.
The DOJ had requested a number of additional documents from Mississippi, including any information that supported the position of the state that the law would not hinder minorities in voting or that if it did how proposed amendments to the law or new administrative rules would remedy the problem.
Officials from the DOJ also want the state to provide a listing of all voters that are registered listed by name, birth date, race, social security number, address and ID number or driver’s license number. On Tuesday, the office of the state Attorney General said much of the information is available but other information will take time to obtain.
Mississippi officials are confident the DOJ will not find that the new voter ID law discriminates against any individual or groups in Mississippi.
