Judge asked to temporarily block North Dakota voter ID laws

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – A group of Native Americans suing over North Dakota’s voter identification requirements are asking a federal judge to temporarily block enforcement of the laws.

KFGO-AM reports the request comes from members of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa who filed the lawsuit in January.

It alleges that the voter ID requirements violate the U.S. Voting Rights Act. The plaintiffs say some tribal members can’t afford the required identification.

During the litigation, they say an injunction would give poll workers the ability to let people vote based on their knowledge of someone’s voting eligibility and would allow people to vote by signing an affidavit saying they are qualified to do so.

North Dakota is the only state without voter registration, but state law has required voters to provide ID since 2004.

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Information from: KFGO-AM, http://www.kfgo.com