Civil rights organizations have filed federal lawsuits in Georgia, Texas, and Arizona challenging recently enacted voter identification requirements they say disproportionately burden minority and low-income voters.
The lawsuits allege violations of the Voting Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause. Plaintiffs seek preliminary injunctions before the November midterm elections to prevent enforcement of the new rules.
State officials defend the laws as necessary safeguards against fraud, pointing to public polling that shows broad support for identification requirements at the ballot box.
