Supreme Court Allows Arizona to Have Photo IDs for Voting

With Arizona and Indiana both allowing photo IDs this fall, you are starting to get in the range were serious empirical work can be done on the impact that Photo ID rules have on voter turnout. This could be a big decision. With enough data, the claim that voters are being discouraged from voting will be shown to be incorrect. I am sure that this is the last thing that those opposed to photo ID hoped would happen.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday that Arizona may require voters to present proof of citizenship when registering to vote and identification when they cast their ballots in the November 7 elections.

"Given the imminence of the election and the inadequate time to resolve the factual disputes, our action today shall of necessity allow the election to proceed without any injunction suspending the voter identification rules," the court said.

The justices said they were expressing no opinion on the ultimate disposition of the challenges to the law.

In 2004, Arizona voters approved Proposition 200, a measure designed to prevent illegal immigrants from voting. It required people to produce proof of citizenship, such as a passport, to register to vote, and picture ID, such as a driver's license, or two pieces of a nonphoto ID, in order to cast a ballot.

Last month, in a move also aimed at illegal immigrants, the House of Representatives approved a bill to require proof of U.S. citizenship to vote in federal elections.

Opponents of the Arizona law said it discriminated against minorities and the poor, who might not have funds to obtain the necessary proof of identification.

A federal judge ruled the state could enforce the law, but a U.S. appeals court issued an injunction blocking its enforcement. The Supreme Court set aside the appeals court's order, allowing the law to be in effect for the election and handing a victory to the state.