Apr 10, 2017

Federal judge strikes down Texas voter ID laws

Marie D. De Jesus / Houston Chronicle / AP

For the second time, a federal judge has ruled that Texas' 2011 voter ID laws were specifically designed to affect minorities, per the AP. Judge Nelva Gonzales had previously called the measures a "poll tax" against black and Hispanic voters in the state and reached the same conclusion two years after the case was kicked back to her by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The money quote: "This is some evidence of a pattern, unexplainable on grounds other than race, which emerges from the effect of the state action even when the governing legislation appears neutral on its face."

The Texas Tribune has a good roundup of the measures along with the state's defense that was posted last year. Voters must possess one of a few types of ID with very few exceptions in order to be able to vote — for example, college IDs are not allowed but concealed carry permits are accepted.

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Ursula Perano
58 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies at 87

Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Photo: Tom Brenner/Getty Images

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has died of metastatic pancreatic cancer at age 87, the Supreme Court announced Friday evening.

Why it matters: Ginsburg had suffered from serious health issues over the past few years. Her death sets up a fight over filling a Supreme Court seat with less than 50 days until the election.

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Jacob Knutson
1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

NYT: White House drug price negotiations broke down over $100 "Trump Cards"

President Trump with Mark Meadows, his chief of staff, on Sept. 3 at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

Negotiations on a deal between the White House and pharmaceutical industry to lower drug prices broke down last month after Mark Meadows, the president's chief of staff, insisted that drugmakers pay for $100 cash cards to be mailed to seniors before the election, according to the New York Times.

Why it matters: Some of the drug companies feared that in agreeing to the prescription cards — reportedly dubbed "Trump Cards" by some in the pharmaceutical industry — they would boost Trump's political standing weeks ahead of Election Day with voters over 65, a group that is crucial to the president's reelection bid, per the Times.

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Axios
3 hours ago - Politics & Policy

In photos: Virginians line up for hours on first day of early voting

Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

In some parts of Virginia, people waited in line up to four hours to cast their ballots on the first day of early voting, according to the Washington Post.

The big picture: The COVID-19 pandemic seems to already have an impact on how people cast their votes this election season. As many as 80 million Americans are expected to vote early, by mail or in person, Tom Bonier, CEO of TargetSmart, a Democratic political data firm, told Axios in August.

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