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Thursday, April 28, 2005
Ind. Law - ICLU plans suit to derail voter-ID law
The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette is reporting today, in a story headlined "ICLU plans suit to derail voter-ID law," that:
The Indiana Civil Liberties Union plans to challenge a new law requiring all Indiana residents to show a government- issued picture ID before casting a vote in an election.[More] Columnist Andrea Neal writes in the Indianapolis Star, in a column headlined "Expect voter ID to end up in court with 2 other laws," that SEA 332 (flags in schools) and SEA 76 (abortion - ultrasound imaging) may also end up subject to court review.The ICLU plans to file a lawsuit opposing the law on behalf of senior citizens, homeless people and low-income families, Director Fran Quigley said Wednesday.
“This requirement is likely to prevent some people from voting,” Quigley said. “This is a fundamental constitutional right and to put a barrier in the way is simply not called for.”
The law would become effective July 1, but Quigley said his organization plans to ask a court to stop it from becoming active until the lawsuit is resolved. * * *
The bipartisan Allen County Election Board also opposes the law. Backers of Senate Bill 483, however, say it will put a stop to voter fraud, but Quigley said there has been no evidence to show there is a genuine voter fraud problem.
Five other states require a photo ID but also accept other forms of ID, such as passports or affidavits.
Under the new law, those failing to provide an appropriate ID may cast a provisional ballot, but that ballot can be thrown out if the voter does not return to the election board within one week to show proper ID.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on April 28, 2005 07:48 AM
Posted to Indiana Law