Photo ID at Georgia polls blocked

ATLANTA – A federal appeals court refused Thursday to let Georgia demand photo identification from all voters at the polls.

Last week, a federal judge barred the state from enforcing the new photo-ID law during the November elections, saying it amounted to an unconstitutional poll tax that could prevent poor people, blacks and the elderly from voting. The state asked the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to lift the stay, but it declined.

Under the law, voters would have to show either a driver’s license or a state-issued photo ID, available at a cost of up to $35. Previously, voters could show Social Security cards, birth certificates and utility bills. Supporters of the new law, including Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue, argued that it would help prevent fraud.

“We’re gratified all registered voters in Georgia can vote, whether or not they can purchase a photo ID,” said Neil Bradley, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, which joined civil rights and voting rights activists in challenging the law.

Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson, a Republican, said the ruling puts the integrity of the November elections in question.

“We show photo identification to board an airplane, to write a check or to rent a movie. Our elections process in the state of Georgia is certainly worth the same level of scrutiny,” he said.