PALAZZO STATEMENT ON MISSISSIPPI VOTER ID AND RECENT SUPREME COURT RULING
Says Decision Should Allow States to Enforce Laws Without Seeking Permission from the Department of Justice
Washington, DC – Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4) responded to a Supreme Court 5-4 ruling that struck down sections of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that gave the federal government authority to hold some states to different standards of scrutiny than other states. In essence, the decision should release the state of Mississippi from needing to seek pre-clearance from the Department of Justice before enforcing its voter ID law.
“Today’s ruling is a recognition of the fact that things have changed in the last 50 years,” Palazzo stated. “This should move the Department of Justice out of the way of a simple and fair Mississippi Voter ID Law that’s been held up for more than a year now. My priority is to ensure that each and every citizen has access to a voice and a vote that is free from fraud or discrimination.”
In the majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts said formulas used to justify federal pre-clearance of state laws should no longer be used because they are “based on decades-old data and eradicated practices.”
