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Rodríguez: Voter ID Decision Restores Texans' Rights

SEN. JOSÉ RODRÍGUEZ

  Senator José Rodríguez released the following statement on Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos' ruling that found the Texas Voter ID law “creates an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote, has an impermissible discriminatory effect against Hispanics and African-Americans, and was imposed with an unconstitutional discriminatory purpose”:

Only three weeks ago I wrote in an op-ed that "we must prove once again — and I believe we will — that Texas has a history of discrimination, and that history led to the Voter ID law as a way to limit minority voter participation." That belief was affirmed with this ruling, which means the Texas Voter ID law will not be applied. 

In my view, we should be promoting, not suppressing, the vote. Texas has a dismal record of voter participation, and encouraging more Texans to register and to exercise their franchise would be in the best traditions of our nation, the cornerstone of which is the right to vote.

I remain hopeful that at some point our Attorney General will realize he's fighting the wrong battle, and stop spending taxpayer money to argue for a law meant to disenfranchise African American and Hispanic Texans.  

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José Rodríguez represents Texas Senate District 29, which includes the counties of El Paso, Hudspeth, Culberson, Jeff Davis, and Presidio. He represents both urban and rural constituencies, and more than 350 miles of the Texas-Mexico border. Senator Rodríguez currently serves as the Chairman of the Senate Hispanic Caucus, Vice Chairman of the Senate Jurisprudence Committee, and a member of the Senate Committees on Criminal Justice, Veteran Affairs and Military Installations, and Government Organization.