Virginia's voters ID law draws criticisms for being racist

A law that requires citizens to present a voters ID before voting was the subject of a federal court trial in Virginia. The Democratic activists said that this provision replicates barriers to the voting minorities.

However, according to the lawyers who believe in the law, it prevents fraud in the elections. This case is one of several voting rights cases that the Democratic and Republicans are fighting for.

The Democratic Party in Virginia is taking the case against the Virginia State Board of Elections and want Judge Henry Hudson to strike down the law. One of the Democratic Party's representative, attorney Bruce Spiva, said that these measures are aimed at slowing down the Democratic Party in the state, as per Yahoo.

Spiva added that this provision added irrational hoops that people have to conquer and creates a disproportional impact on other races. According to Think Progress, the law insisting Virginia's photo ID system would suffer a setback if the motion to exclude the state's history of racism is granted because it only relies on the history to prove that the voters ID is intentionally discriminatory.

But Mark Hearne, an independent counsel for the state attorney general, discarded the allegations. He said that it will be impossible to show suppression on the minorities if only from the photo ID law alone. It is an effort of the government to prevent any irregularities in the elections.

Josephine Okiakpe from Northern Virginia, testified against the new ID law when she voted last 2014. During the elections, Okiakpe presented a voters registration card, a Social Security card, a Medicare card and utility bills in order to prove that she is a state resident but was not able to cast her vote.

Later, as reported by ABC News, she was given a provisional ballot which was counted as a valid vote. But the experience took away her confidence in the way the elections in Virginia was conducted.

Judge Hudson already dismissed several cases related to the voters ID law. One of which had argued that the requirement only made the polling lines longer and the other sought to overturn a state requirement bringing back the rights of non-violent felons to vote. Attorneys on the other hand believe that the trial will take a week for the judge to give out his decision.

Tags

Virginia, Virginia voters ID law, Virginia's history of racism, Virginia Federal Court, Judge Henry Hudson, Mark Hearne, Josephine Okiakpe

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