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Arkansas Appealing Judge's Order Blocking Voter ID Law

FILE - An election worker walks past a voter ID sign at a polling place in Little Rock, Arkansas, May 20, 2014.

Arkansas officials are appealing a judge's order blocking the state from enforcing a voter ID law nearly identical to a measure struck down as unconstitutional four years ago.

Secretary of State Mark Martin filed notice Friday that he's appealing Pulaski County Circuit Court Judge Alice Gray's ruling against the voter ID law to the state Supreme Court. Gray on Thursday ruled the law was unconstitutional and issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the state from enforcing the measure, less than a month before Arkansas' May 22 primary. Early voting for Arkansas' primary begins May 7.

A lawsuit challenging the measure claims the law enacted last year circumvents a 2014 Arkansas Supreme Court ruling that struck down a previous voter ID measure.