A Federal Appeals Court will hear Arguments over the Constitutionality of a Struck-Down Kansas Law that Required People to provide Documents proving their U.S. Citizenship before they could Register to Vote.
In a Case with National Implications for Voting Rights, Kansas faces an Uphill Battle to Resurrect the Law once Championed by former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who led President Trump’s now-defunct Voter Fraud Commission.
A Three-Judge Panel of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals Temporarily Blocked Kobach in 2016 from fully Enforcing the Law, calling it “a mass denial of a fundamental constitutional right.” The Issue is back before the Appellate Court after U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson Struck it Down last year and made Permanent the Earlier Injunction.
“Kansas was the tip of the spear of an effort to make it harder for people to register under the guise of protecting elections from a nonexistent epidemic of noncitizen voting. Those efforts haven’t stopped as this case illustrates, and I think this case will be closely watched,” said Dale Ho, Director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Voting Rights Project.
But there is a New Driver License Law that solves this issue.
Real ID Act
The Real ID Act of 2005, Pub.L. 109–13, 119 Stat. 302, enacted May 11th, 2005, is an Act of Congress that Modifies U.S. Federal Law pertaining to Security, Authentication, and Issuance Procedures Standards for State Driver's Licenses and Identity Documents, as well as various Immigration Issues pertaining to Terrorism.
Information and Security Features that must be Incorporated into each Card: Application Information to Establish the Identity and Citizenship or Immigration Status of an Applicant before a Card can be Issued.
Driver’s Licenses and State IDs must now also include a Common Barcode and Security Devices to Prevent any Tampering with or Counterfeiting of the Card, and must Display a Star in the Upper Right-Hand Corner, signifying that your Identification has been Approved by the TSA and your Identity has been Verified. There are also New Requirements put in place to obtain an State ID or License.
All Applicants must Present the Following Documents during the Application Process:
- A Photo ID, or Non-Photo ID that contains the Applicant’s Full Legal Name and Birth Date
- Valid Birth Certificate
- Social Security Number
- Proof of Legal U.S. Citizenship, or Proof of Lawful Admittance into or Temporary Residence within the U.S.
The Real ID Act, and has been issuing Compliant IDs since May 2014. Residents with Older, Non-Compliant IDs can continue using them for Domestic Air Travel until Oct. 1st, 2020.
The Act is being Enforced in Stages. The Final Stage of Implementation, which Targets Air Travel, is the End of 2019.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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