Inside The South Carolina Voter ID Bill
iReport — Spartanburg, South Carolina-The South Carolina Legislature joined the efforts of eight other states by passing itson version of voter ID bill that was signed by Governor Nikki Haley on . The new bill, however, has been placed on hold by the U.S. Department of Justice in order to see any evidence that this significant change will comply with section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. Based upon a past history of racial segregation and voter suppression duties pre-civil rights era, South Carolina is one of nine states that must receive preclearance for any changes made to election laws.
The Department of Justice is requiring the S.C. Election Commission to provide detailed information relating to the state’s electoral process and its ability to provide adequate notification procedures to inform South Carolina voters on the election law changes. The state must provide , as well, detailed information that illuminates the specific dates and locations established for voters seeking to obtain government approved ID.
Currently, the S.C. Election Commission is preparing to allow currently registered voters to come to the 46 County boards of registration to take photos for voter IDs. This process allows voters to simply show up with their voter registration which currently does not require a photo ID. This is the only current provision that conceivably circumvents the need to obtain additional state ID in order to vote.
Members of the South Carolina Black Lawyers recognize the new law that requires voters to present photo ID at the poll as a potential for the violation of civil rights. “Currently there is no evidence of voter fraud or voter impersonation” said South Carolina Black Lawyers Association Vice President and Resolutions Chair Michael D. Brown. Brown, who is also an elected official in Spartanburg, said that the organization will issue a resolution to the Department of Justice that addresses its opposition to the new law.
According to a new study by the Associated Press, the new law that requires some kind of photo ID drives license, military ID, passport, when people vote will disproportionately affect majority black precincts (e.g. the Benedict College Precinct) more than others in the state. The franchise to vote constitutionally should not involve the requirement of the expenditures of money. In South Carolina, Georgia and Indiana (states that have past racially restrictive histories that require the Justice Department voting monitoring), the study showed that minorities are less likely than whites to have the right identification (which costs money).
Is this an attempt by the state GOP to blatantly attempt to suppress the votes of minorities? Time will tell in the near future as the Justice Department will make its determination concerning the efficacy of the Voter ID Bill as the 2012 Election season looms in the balance.
Michael D. Brown is a practicing attorney and a County Council Member in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He is an Aspen Institute Global Leadership Fellow and he is the Contributing Editor to the newly formed PoliticalJunki.com.
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