South Carolina's Attorney General Alan Wilson filed a lawsuit Tuesday after the Justice Department blocked South Carolina's controversial law requiring voters to present a photo I.D.

The 1965 Voting Rights Act requires some Southern states obtain "pre-clearance" from the federal government for changes to election laws. In December, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder judged that a law  requiring voters to have I.D. would discriminate against minorities. But in Tuesday's suit, South Carolina's Wilson asked courts to overturn Holder's decision, saying it does not discriminate against any voter. South Carolina's resistance seemed likely as the state is just one of several to pass similar voter I.D. laws recently, and the issue has become a predictably partisan one on the national scene, making the outcome of this lawsuit important not just for South Carolinians.

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at erandall at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.