Tennessee election officials are turning to the state Supreme Court to back up their interpretation of new voter ID requirements. An appeals court said Thursday the law is constitutional, but that people can also vote using IDs issued by cities.
The state appeals court just ruled people are allowed to vote using a Memphis library card. But State Elections Coordinator Mark Goins wants the state Supreme Court to weigh in, and to put the ruling on hold for the time being.
“This is a situation where we’re not anticipating an election, we’re knee-deep in an election. So we’re kind of changing the rules of the game during the game. And so this is a situation we’re going to take on a day-by-day basis.”
Meanwhile opponents of the new law want the latest court ruling to let cities across Tennessee issue voter IDs.
The ID requirement is supposed to prevent fraud in elections, but critics argue it’s hardly necessary. Instead they say it disenfranchises poor people who may have a hard time getting a state ID.
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