Court Upholds Photo ID Requirement In NM

(CN) - Photo identification is a reasonable requirement for voter registration in Albuquerque, a federal appeals court in Denver ruled. A three-judge panel reinstated the requirement after the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a similar photo ID requirement in Indiana.

The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico previously challenged a charter amendment in the city of Albuquerque that required citizens to present a photo ID when they registered to vote.

A federal judge ruled in favor of the ALCU, stating that the amendment violated the constitutional right to equal protection.

The 10th Circuit reversed the decision in light of the Supreme Court's decision this year in Crawford v. Marion County, a similar case from Indiana. In that case, Justice Scalia called the burden on voters "minimal and justified."

"As far as we can tell," Judge Kelly wrote, "no individual lacks photo identification. Restrictions that ... protect the reliability of the integrity of the election process are generally not considered severe and are upheld."

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