The Voting Rights Act celebrated its 50th anniversary on Thursday, and opponents of Texas' voter identification law are celebrating a court's decision to strike down the law.

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit struck down the Lone Star State's voter ID law, which Democrats have labeled as "discriminatory," but Republicans said the law was to halt voter fraud. According to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Texas law (S.B. 14) passed with "a racially discriminatory purpose," a poll tax under the 14th and 24th Amendments and violates the Voting Rights Act's Section 2.

Republican Texas officials criticized the court ruling. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said S.B. 14 was to combat voter fraud and the state will continue its efforts for voters to show identification before entering the ballot box.

"In light of ongoing voter fraud, it is imperative that Texas has a voter ID law that prevents cheating at the ballot box. Texas will continue to fight for its voter ID requirement to ensure the integrity of elections in the Lone Star State," Abbott said in statement.

Recently indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the state's "common sense" law will remain in effect. In Paxton's response, he considered the ruling as a victory for Texas' right to protect its elections.

"[Wednesday's] ruling was a victory on the fundamental question of Texas' right to protect the integrity of our elections and the state's common sense Voter ID law remains in effect," Paxton stated.

"I'm particularly pleased the panel saw through and rejected the plaintiffs' claim that our law constituted a 'poll tax.' The intent of this law is to protect the voting process in Texas, and we will continue to defend this important safeguard for all Texas voters."

According to Paxton's office, Texas went through three statewide elections with the voter ID law in effect and noted no disenfranchisement was reported. With the law, only seven forms of identification was allowed to vote: a Texas driver's license, free Texas election identification card (EIC), Texas personal identification card, Texas license to carry a concealed handgun, U.S. military identification card, U.S. citizenship certificate and U.S. passport.

Texas Democrats were thrilled with the court's ruling, especially as the decision came on the eve of the Voting Rights Act's 50th anniversary. Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said the ruling is a victory for every Lone Star State vote.

"Texas Democrats believe that our nation and democracy is stronger when everyone is invited to participate in our electoral process," Hinojosa said in a statement on Wednesday, adding the "ruling is a victory for every Texas voter."

"Once again, the rule of law agrees with Democrats. The Republican voter ID law is discriminatory. Republicans made it harder for African-Americans and Latinos to cast their vote at the ballot box. We remain confident that the courts will find justice for Texas voters and ultimately strike down this racist and discriminatory law," he said.

The Texas Organizing Project (TOP), a community organizing and civic engagement group, was elated with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. TOP Special Projects Director Crystal Zermeno said the organization viewed S.B. 14 as a law that tried to fix something that was not broken.

"We are elated that on the eve of the Voting Rights Act 50th anniversary, the country's most conservative appeals court struck down Texas' discriminatory voter ID law. ... What the law did do is strip hundreds of thousands of voters of color of their right to vote, just as the authors of the law intended," Zermeno saiid. "In Texas, we have too many barriers to the ballot box, which is why we have among the lowest voting rates in the country."

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For the latest updates, follow Latin Post's Politics Editor Michael Oleaga on Twitter: @EditorMikeO or contact via email: m.oleaga@latinpost.com.

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