Appeals Court Blocks Voter ID Laws in Three States

By Nikita Vladimirov, The Hill

11 September 16

he U.S. Court of Appeals on Friday ruled that Alabama, Georgia and Kansas cannot force their voters to present proof of U.S. citizenship in order to exercise their right to vote, Reuters reported.

"With just weeks to go before a critical presidential election, we are grateful to the court of appeals for stopping this thinly veiled discrimination in its tracks," said Chris Carson, president of the League of Women Voters, one of the groups that was challenging the requirement.

The group argued that the new requirement would create "mass disenfranchisement" of minority voters who do not have a birth certificate.

The mixed support for the new voter ID laws in three states split among party lines, with Republicans strongly backing the new requirements.

The Court of Appeals said that the plaintiffs would likely win the case on merits after they successfully demonstrated that the new rule would create "irreparable harm" to the community.

“The change clearly adds to the tasks to be performed to get someone registered,” said Judge Stephen Williams on Thursday, before the court's decision.