US District Court upholds South Carolina Voter ID law

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson says the US District’s Court’s ruling on the state’s Voter ID law is ” a major victory for South Carolina and the election process.”

The US District Court for the District of Columbia announced its decision Wednesday, upholding the state law that requires voters to show photo identification at the polls.

“Today’s ruling by the three judge panel is a major victory for South Carolina and its election process,” said Wilson through a statement to the media. 

“It affirms our voter ID law is valid and constitutional under the Voting Rights Act. The fact remains, voter ID laws do not discriminate or disenfranchise; they ensure integrity at the ballot box.”

South Carolina Democratic Party Chairperson Dick Harpootlian disagreed with the ruling.

“I am disappointed in the court’s decision to uphold South Carolina’s Voter ID law,” he said in a statement to the media.  “The South Carolina Democratic Party strongly disagrees with the court’s opinion and is hopeful that the United States Supreme Court will resolve the differences between various Voter ID cases around the country.”

The law requires those wanting to vote in South Carolina to show one of five types of photo identification in order to cast a ballot.
    
The judges say the law does not discriminate or wipe out voting rights gains of African-Americans.

“This ruling also affirms South Carolina’s voter ID law should have been pre-cleared by the U.S. Justice Department,” continued Wilson. “We will work diligently to implement this law for all future elections.”

South Carolina’s law was the first voting law in nearly 20 years that the Department of Justice refused to OK.

South Carolina’s voter ID will take effect starting with elections in 2013.