The new poll tax: Republican-sponsored ballot-security measures are being used to keep minorities from voting.

ONE OF THE RECURRING SCANDALS IN AMERICAN politics since passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is the discriminatory use of so-called "ballot security" programs. These programs are invariably presented as good government measures necessary to prevent voter fraud, but far too often they are actually designed to suppress minority voting--and for nakedly partisan purposes. Take, for example, the last election.

Shortly before this November's balloting, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a "Voting Integrity Initiative" to deal with voter fraud. ...