Federal Judge Strikes Down Wisconsin’s Voter ID Law

 

Creative Commons via Flickr
Creative Commons via Flickr

A federal judge has?struck down?Wisconsin’s controversial voter ID law and declared it unconstitutional, a move that is sure to enrage Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. In March, the Republican governor said that if the courts?strike down the law, he will call?a special legislative session.


From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

In a decision that could have implications nationally and in Wisconsin’s November elections, a federal judge on Tuesday struck down the state’s voter ID law, saying it violated the Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution.?

The law known as Act 23 had already been blocked by a state judge. For the law to be put back in place, supporters would have to overturn both the state and federal decisions — a possibility that could prove difficult between now and the Nov. 4 election for governor.

The statement by U.S. District Judge Judge Lynn Adelman in his 70-page ruling:

“There is no way to determine exactly how many people Act 23 will prevent or deter from voting without considering the individual circumstances of each of the 300,000 plus citizens who lack an ID.?But no matter how imprecise my estimate may be, it is absolutely clear that Act 23 will prevent more legitimate votes from being cast than fraudulent votes.”

Judge Adelman, a former Democratic state senator, found that the state didn’t have a rationale for the ID requirement because in-person voter impersonation is virtually nonexistent in the state. The only voter fraud that can be prevented by a voter ID law is in-person impersonation. From the ruling:

“The defendants could not point to a single instance of known voter impersonation occurring in Wisconsin at any time in the recent past.”

An injunction has been issued barring the law from being enforced. Wisconsin can expect State Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen to appeal the judge’s decision. Read more at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.


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Tiffany Willis is the founder and editor-in-chief of Liberal America. An unapologetic member of the Christian Left, she has spent most of her career actively working with ?the least of these? and disadvantaged and oppressed populations. She’s passionate about their struggles. To stay on top of topics she discusses,?like her?Facebook page,?follow her on Twitter, or?connect with her via LinkedIn. She also has?a?grossly neglected personal blog?and a?literary quotes blog that is a labor of love. Find her somewhere and join the discussion.

I had a successful career actively working with at-risk youth, people struggling with poverty and unemployment, and disadvantaged and oppressed populations. In 2011, I made the decision to pursue my dreams and become a full-time writer. Connect with me on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.