Former House Speaker Jim Wright was denied the documentation needed to vote in Texas on Saturday, prompting the Democratic icon to voice fears about the state’s tough new voter ID law.
“I earnestly hope these unduly stringent requirements on voters won’t dramatically reduce the number of people who vote,” Wright, 90, told the Fort Worth Star Telegram. He said he has voted in every election since 1944 and spent much of his career fighting for expanded election access.
Wright served in Congress from 1955 to 1989, including a stint as Speaker of the House from 1986 to 1989. He said he will furnish the needed documents to get a new voter ID in time to cast a ballot
A wave of voter ID measures have been passed into law in recent years, leading to Democratic fears that the laws will depress turnout among lower-income and minority voters.