If you pay attention to the news -- and if you’re reading this community newspaper it’s likely that you do -- you’re probably aware that the federal government just rejected South Carolina’s recently-passed “Voter ID” law, which would require voters to present photo identification before casting a ballot in an election. The U.S. Department of Justice ruled that our state's new law violated the 1965 Voting Rights Act, a well-intentioned law that many believe has outlived its purpose. The Voting Rights Act, which affects mostly Southern states, aims to ensure that state and local laws relating to elections don’t dilute the votes of minorities.