5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Finds Texas Voter ID Law Unconstitutional, Violates the Voting Rights Act

July 20, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, in a 9-6 decision, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that the Texas voter ID law was unconstitutional and in violation of the Voting Rights Act. The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) was one of the plaintiffs in Veasey v. Abbott along with Congressman Marc Veasey, and others. In response, LULAC National President Roger C Rocha, Jr. issued the following statement:

"The discriminatory Texas voter ID law was an attack on the voting rights of minorities, and today's decision marks a historic win for minority voters across Texas. The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy, and our laws should make it easier for all eligible individuals to vote. We commend the decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals which clearly recognized the importance of the right to vote for all citizens and struck down the draconian provisions of the Texas voter ID law. Today's decision is an important first step towards healing the wounds of disenfranchisement caused by literacy tests, poll taxes, and other mechanisms that were historically used to deny minorities their constitutional right to vote.

"This election season, LULAC will work through its councils to ensure that all eligible voters can exercise their right to vote and will continue to fight against legal barriers meant to deter our community from exercising our civic duty. This underscores the need for the immediate passage of a new Voting Rights Act which LULAC has been championing for several years."