Story highlights The ruling is a victory for voting rights advocates

Texas passed the voter ID law in 2011 but it did not go into effect until 2013

(CNN) A federal appeals court said Wednesday that Texas' voter ID law, which critics consider to be one of the strictest in the nation, violates the Voting Rights Act.

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, based in New Orleans, sent the case back down to the lower court for consideration of the appropriate remedy consistent with the opinion. The majority said that the lower court had not "erred" when it found the law has a "discriminatory effect on minorities' voting rights."

"In light of the impending election, we order the district court to file its order regarding the proper discriminatory effect remedy as soon as possible. The parties have expressed a willingness to work cooperatively with the district court to provide a prompt resolution of this matter, and we urge them to do so to avoid election eve uncertainties and emergencies," the court said.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch praised the ruling.

"I am pleased with today's decision by the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit holding that Texas's 2011 photographic voter identification law violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act," Lynch said in a statement. "This decision affirms our position that Texas's highly restrictive voter ID law abridges the right to vote on account of race or color and orders appropriate relief before yet another election passes."

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