Question

please a discussion answer WITH 5-6 SENTENCES ( PARAGRAPH)

THE IDEA ABOUT VOTING IN TEXAS

Texas (and the United States) has come a long way in its history when viewing who has access to the voting booth. When Texas joined the United States in 1845, voting was largely limited to white males who owned property. It took over a century for the ballot box to become much more democratic and inclusive thanks to many changes at the state and federal level. Over this time a number of obstacles were put in place (some overcome) limiting who could vote. For example,

1848 The end of the Mexican-American War guaranteed Mexicans in Texas (also Arizona, California, New Mexico, & Nevada) US citizenship and recognition of Mexican land deeds ensuring the right to vote. However, voting was often denied due to language requirements and the failure to protect land deeds issued in Spanish.  

1856 Property requirements were abolished for voting, but due to a number of other restrictions put in place to keep minority males from voting, only white men benefited from this change.

1866 Native Americans were given US citizenship, but not the right to vote until 1957.

1919 Texas ratified the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution allowing women to vote for the first time in Texas.

See your textbook for a number of specific ways voting was limited to individuals and groups to read in depth.

By 1965 with the passage of the national Voting Rights Act, most obstacles to voting will be abolished. With this new law, the federal government now had the power to step in when local and state elections showed evidence of discrimination. Because of continued discrimination, special provisions in the new federal law were extended in 1970, 1975, 1982, 1992 and in 2006.

However in Shelby County v. Holder (2013) the Supreme Court in a controversial 5-4 vote declared 2 key provisions of the Voting Rights Act unconstitutional. Within hours of the decision Texas officials pledged to enforce a photo ID law to vote that had not been cleared by the Justice department. A handful of other states followed.

The push for photo ID laws for voting actually began in the late 20th century by Republican party members claiming voter fraud. Today 12 states have a form of photo id law on the books. Critics claim these laws are restrictive and prevent free access to the ballot.

In 2016, a federal court put a hold on the Texas photo ID law until future notice as the case over its use makes its way through the court system. (see link below for the current law and a statement how how it is modified due to this ruling)

In this discussion board, you will research the pros and cons of a photo id law in Texas and put forth a detailed and supported position on the issue by addressing the question below. Please note that much of this debate falls along partisan lines. Political language may interfere with your ability to think critically. Bias is not the problem, but failure to recognize it or failure to use factual evidence to support your position is.

To begin this assignment, you will want to read chapter 4 so you understand the process of voting and elections in Texas. From that point begin research the topic of photo ID for voting. You can use all sources related to Texas, other states and the nation as a whole. I've also given you a few sources below to help you get started.

Once you have written your response post (keep in mind you will not be able to read anyone's post on the board until you post yours) post your response post on the discussion board no later than THURSDAY night at 11:59PM. Once you have posted you can begin engaging in the discussion with your classmates through Saturday night when the unit closes. Reread the instructions for how to maximize your points in the syllabus.

Respond to this statement: Photo ID laws for voting serve a similar purpose as other historical roadblocks such as literacy tests and poll taxes to restrict certain groups from voting and are, therefore, unconstitutional.

Don't forget citations, links and other supporting evidence to include in your work on the board.

-https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/after-50-years-the-voting-rights-acts-biggest-threat-the-supreme-court/273257/

-https://www.oyez.org/cases/2012/12-96

-https://www.brennancenter.org/issues/voter-fraud

-http://www.heritage.org/election-integrity/heritage-explains/voter-fraud

Answer 1

The sundry amendments made to the voting rights since the year 1848 (continued until the very recent year 2017) have had manifold opportunities and rights catered to the minorities - in a gradual process - through struggles and movements. Amidst all sorts of discriminatory practices vis a vis voting, there has been a singular and non discriminatory approach identified since the 1965 act (after the civil rights movement), thus, involving all the given members of the concerned state. Although this hasn't aided in curbing the rearing of discriminations ugly head yet again.

Due to the brewing of the racial and political storm within America, which is said to have increased starkly since the Obama administration (2008 - 2012), and the supreme court is quite predominantly responsible for these recent development, and the application of voter identification which has affected the minority groups quite prolifically, and this was advocated in the year 2008, wrecking havoc amongst minorities.

Now under the Voters right Act of 1965 there is a Section 5, which is instated predominantly to prohibit the legible districts from making changes to the laws and procedures penned down under election without the consent of the concerned authorization. In Shelby County v Holden this section (Section 5) and Section 4(b) were claimed to to be unconstitutional and in need of amendment. The final verdict from the supreme court was to strike down Section 5 in 2012 and uphold SB 14.

This led to a case being filed in 2013 Texas NACCP v Steen, challenging Sb 14, the strictest voter id law.