Inconsistencies in Texas Election Laws and Regulations

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Inconsistencies in Texas Election Laws and Regulations
One of the laws and regulations that I believe affect the election processes in the state of
Texas is the Texas voter identification law that was enforced in 2011. This law states that any
individual that wishes to vote in the state of Texas requires an approved form of government-
issued photo ID. A concealed gun license is allowed but a student ID is not. Other forms of photo
ID under the law include; a state driver’s license or ID card, free Texas election identification
certificate (EIC), a U.S. passport, a military ID card or a U.S citizenship certificate with a photo
(Hajnal et al, 635). I view this law as having a discriminatory effect in the Texas state. The act
was enforced to reduce the level of fraud associated with the election process in Texas. Despite
the fact that its main purpose is to prevent fraud, this law’s structure has resulted in suppressing
the voter turnout in different races like African-Americans, Hispanics, and other segregated
communities (Alvarez et al, 19). From a personal view, the requirement of regulated government
ID photos, this law has resulted in the frustration of a large number of voters in the state. This
includes voters who plan to use their student IDs only to find out that they are not accepted.
Other voters are barred from actually voting since their driver licenses have expired.
Moreover, for individuals within the low income gap, the expense involved in obtaining
the appropriate documentation proves to be too high. This is because obtaining these documents
such as a Texas driving license will require activities such as obtaining a copy of birth