ALEXANDRIA, VA (Oct. 15, 2014) — The American Civil Rights Union (ACRU) applauds the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on Tuesday that reinstates Texas’ voter ID law.

“With early voting about to get underway in Texas, this was a needed corrective to U.S. District Judge Nelva Conzales Ramos’ rash ruling last week striking down the law,” said ACRU Chairman and CEO Susan A. Carleson.

“Although the Fifth’s ruling doesn’t address the merits of Judge Ramos’ thinking, the court reasoned that changing the rules this close to an election would cause chaos. We hope that a thorough examination of the law’s merits will yield an eventual decision upholding the voter ID law for the benefit of all Texas voters.”

The ID law, which has been challenged by the U.S. Justice Department and leftwing groups such as the ACLU, requires voters to show government-issued identification before casting ballots. A further appeal is likely.

“Among other things, Judge Ramos compared the common-sense voter ID requirement to Jim Crow policies such as the poll tax,” Carleson said. “For a look at what Jim Crow was really all about, please see the ACRU’s special publication, The Truth about Jim Crow.”