The US Supreme Court [official website] on Friday refused to block [order, PDF] Texas from enforcing its controversial voter identification law. Plaintiffs had filed an application [JURIST report] with the Supreme Court last month, asking the court to vacate a stay that allowed the voter ID law to remain in place. The issue is currently pending before [JURIST report] the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, but challengers had sought to block the law’s enforcement in the interim. The Supreme Court did indicate that it might reconsider the issue if it is not resolved before the upcoming November election:

The Court recognizes the time constraints the parties confront in light of the scheduled elections in November, 2016. If, on or before July 20, 2016, the Court of Appeals has neither issued an opinion on the merits of the case nor issued an order vacating or modifying the current stay order, an aggrieved party may seek interim relief from this Court by filing an appropriate application.

The controversial Texas law was approved five years ago and has been in effect for three elections.

Voting rights remain a controversial legal issue in the US. Earlier this week a federal judge upheld [JURIST report] North Carolina’s voter ID law. Earlier this month a federal appeals court held that a Wisconsin voter ID law needs to be re-examined [JURIST report]. Last year the Supreme Court denied certiorari [JURIST report] in Frank v. Walker [docket], allowing Wisconsin’s voter ID law to stand.