Posted on 09/12/2014 10:45:36 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
A federal appeal court has cleared the way for Wisconsin's long-stalled voter ID law to be in place for the November elections.
Just hours after hearing arguments in a case challenging the requirement for voters to show a government-issued photo ID at the polls, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday issued an order lifting an injunction that has kept the law from being enforced.
A federal judge ruled earlier this year that the law was unconstitutional...but the appeals court noted in its order that the state has since worked to address issues highlighted in that decision, including a new system that allows people verify their birth information at no charge to obtain a photo I-D. That's expected to address concerns about people being forced to pay for documents needed to vote.With the election less than two months away, the state Government Accountability Board says it will work quickly to fully implement the voter ID law in time.
There were plenty of reactions after the court made its ruling. Governor Scott Walker said, “This ruling is a win for the electoral process and voters of Wisconsin. Voter ID is a common sense reform that protects the integrity of our voting process. It’s important that voters have confidence in the system. Today’s ruling makes it easier to vote and harder to cheat.”
Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen was pleased with the ruling by the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago which stays the injunction issued by the District Courts in April in the League of United Latin American Citizens of Wisconsin, David Deininger, & Ruthelle Frank vs. Scott Walker. He said, “Today’s decision is a victory for common sense, fair elections, and the right of every eligible voter to cast a vote that will count. This ruling vindicates the law and our efforts to ensure the policy of this state will be in effect for November’s election. My staff and I will work with the Government Accountability Board to ensure every eligible voter will be able to cast a ballot,” Van Hollen said.
As expected, Democrats and the unions are not pleased with the decision from the Court of Appeals. Democratic State Representative Katrina Shankland from Stevens Point is disappointed in the court’s ruling. She says, “With less than two months away from the mid-term election and thousands of absentee ballots already sent out, it is shocking that the court would rule to implement the photo ID requirement before November. This decision will cause confusion at the polls, disarray at the DMV, and will disenfranchise eligible voters. Of course, that was Wisconsin Republican legislators’ intent when they authored and passed the most restrictive voter ID law in the country.” She adds, “It is a right, not a privilege, to vote. I will do everything I can to help every eligible voter get the information they need to exercise their fundamental democratic right to participate in their government. It’s a pity not everyone believes in ensuring access to that right. “Under a new state policy, all citizens can get a free state ID from their local DMV for voting purposes. I encourage everyone who needs an ID to obtain one, and to help spread the word to anyone else who may need one.”
AFL-CIO union President Phil Neuenfeldt said, “The 7th Circuit Court just turned back the clock on democracy by giving the green light to the voter suppressing VoterID law. This law will disenfranchise countless Wisconsinites and block citizens from freely participating in our democracy. This is a desperate attempt by Gov. Walker to rig elections. In Wisconsin, we should be encouraging people to get involved and take part in elections, not putting up roadblocks and barriers for people to cast their ballot.” Neuenfeldt declared, “No matter what, the union movement is working hard every day to educate and inform voters about this crucial election.”
Neuenfeldt will have lots of help, so expect to see a lot of campaigning and spending by Democrats in an attempt to erase the past four years. On Thursday, the largest public sector union in America named Scott Walker their top national target this fall. Lee Saunders is the President of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. He said, “We have a score to settle with Scott Walker” adding, “He took collective bargaining away from us” and, “He stole our voices in a state where we were born.”
Wisconsin’s Department of Transportation’s Division of Motor Vehicles is working with the Department of Health Services to make sure everyone that needs a valid ID card to vote can get one at no cost. DMV offices will start validating documents for the new process beginning Monday.
Kevin Kennedy is the Director and General Counsel of the Government Accountability Board. After the Court of Appeals ruling, he issued a statement saying, “We are taking every step to fully implement the voter photo ID law for the November General Election. We are now focused on communicating with local election officials and voters, and will have more information about the details next week.”
Some other federal judge will dump all over this, and on and on we will go.
We need this nationwide.
Theoretically, it could be heard en banc by the appeals court, but that isn’t a given. ...or it could be appealed to the US Supreme Court.
Problem is that this law is an almost carbon copy of the Indiana law which has passed the courts.
The judge who tried to strike it down was Lynn Adelmann, one of the most partisan democrat hacks on the bench.
How can this be? I thought it was proven beyond a reasonable doubt that all women and minorities (except asians) are too stupid to have ID’s
Is that such a bad thing?
Let them whine: I think it just makes them look ridiculous
Holder will not let this stand. How I’m wrong but the dems are running scared over voter id.
Gee, liberals, it’s really too bad that one would have to prove they are a legal resident in order to vote. But, then, the unions can’t bus in folks from Michigan and Illinois to vote in Milwaukee. The reality, as we all know, is liberals and unions oppose voter I.D. as it eliminates their voting fraud techniques.
You mean Eric Holder’s people won’t be able to just drive over from Chicago or Gary, IN to vote in Wisconsin anymore?
Impeach and remove. Newt Gingrich said that after a half of a dozen "scalps" we could see an end to this crapola.
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