Judge suspends voter photo ID law

A federal judge has suspended a new photo ID requirement for voters in Georgia. See if any of this sounds familiar.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports:

A federal judge in Rome today issued an order suspending a new state law requiring voters to show photo ID at the polls for the upcoming November municipal elections throughout Georgia.

U.S. District Judge Harold Murphy granted the injunction to lawyers for Common Cause of Georgia, the ACLU, the NAACP and other groups who challenged the law that requires Georgians to purchase a state-issued photo identification before voting.

The plaintiffs, Murphy found, have shown there is a substantial likelihood they will ultimately prevail in showing the photo ID requirement "unduly burdens the right to vote" and "constitutes a poll tax."

Murphy, in a 123-page order, said he had great respect for the Georgia Legislature, which passed the law earlier this year. "The court, however, simply has more respect for the Constitution," Murphy added.

The U.S. Justice Department approved the law in August, saying that while Attorney General Alberto Gonzales didn't object to the state's voter ID requirement the federal agency's approval didn't preclude lawsuits against it.

Weeks after the law won federal approval, voter and civil rights groups filed the federal lawsuit challenging the law, contending it violates state and federal constitutions.

The Republican-backed measure sparked racial tensions during the state's legislative session last spring. Most of Georgia's black lawmakers walked out at the state Capitol when it was approved.

Democrats had argued the idea was a political move by the GOP to depress voting among minorities, the elderly and the poor -- all traditional bases for Democrats. Its opponents include the AARP, League of Women Voters, the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

The law eliminates formerly accepted forms of voter identification, such as Social Security cards, birth certificates or utility bills.

Rep. Tyrone Brooks, president of the Georgia Association of Black Elected Officials, called the ruling "a strong signal from the federal judiciary that Georgia has gone too far in impeding the right of citizens to vote."

The Rev. Joseph Lowery, a civil rights activist, said the ruling is "a breath of fresh air," adding, "We believe that this affirms our notion that this legislation infringes on our constitutional rights."

Supporters of the law vowed to challenge the court decision.

"We'll appeal it until the Supreme Court makes a decision. Hopefully by then the President will have a good conservative court up there that understands the will of the people," said State Sen. Don Balfour, R-Snellville.

Gov. Sonny Perdue and other Republicans have said the measure is aimed at preventing voter fraud, not hurting poor voters. The governor has pointed out that state IDs would be given free to people who couldn't afford the fee or said they planned to use the ID to vote. "It will not be a hardship on any voter," Perdue said when he signed the bill in April.