Civil Rights Attorney Vows to Keep Fighting Voter ID Law

Tennessee – along with many other states – adopted a voter ID law in 2011. Credit Blake Farmer/WPLN

One of Nashville’s most prominent civil rights attorneys is vowing to keep up his fight against a new voter ID law. This week a state court ruled Tennessee’s requirement for photo ID is constitutional. A federal court ruled the same way in July.

The plaintiffs in the case are two women from Memphis who were turned away by poll workers in August for trying to use their city-issued library cards. Attorney George Barrett says they still have time to influence November’s election.

“If they want to appeal, we’ll make an effort to expedite the appeal. If they don’t, that will be the end of this lawsuit. But that’s not an end of our fight to get rid of this law that’s simply for one reason – to suppress voting.”

The Chancery Court judge ruled that the voter ID law holds up to the Tennessee Constitution, noting that she would strike it down if it were just up to her.

State Senator Bill Ketron sponsored the voter ID law. He says in a statement that this week’s decision shows “Tennessee has the right to guard against voter fraud.”