Following the 2004 elections Republicans assumed ascendancy in
Indiana, capturing the governorship for the first time in 16 years,
retaining control of the Senate and regaining control of the Indiana
House of Representatives after eight years in political exile. This
political development set the stage for the passage in April 2005 of
the Indiana photo-ID law, also known as Senate Enrolled Act 483
(SEA), on a straight party-line vote. Two days after SEA 483 was
signed into law by governor Mitch Daniels the Indiana Democratic
Party (IDP) filed suit in federal district court in Indianapolis
(IDP v. Rokita 2006). The case was assigned in
a blind draw to U.S. district judge Sarah Evans Barker, an appointee
of President Reagan and a former U.S. attorney. The same day the
Indiana chapter of the ACLU filed an action in Marion Superior
Court, Crawford v. Marion County Election Board.
The Indiana attorney general intervened in both cases to defend the
law's constitutionality and removed Crawford to
federal court, where it was immediately consolidated with
Rokita.