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April 30, 2014

Federal Judge Strikes Down Wisconsin Voter ID Law over Discrimination 
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A federal judge has struck down Wisconsin's voter identification law,
saying it targets the poor and people of color. The law requires all
voters to present photo ID at the polls, a provision that would exclude
anyone without a birth certificate. In her ruling, District Judge Lynn
Adelman said the law mitigates "the effects of past or present
discrimination," burdening those less likely to have photo ID. In a move
that could spur challenges in other states, Judge Adelman cited Section
2 of the Voting Rights Act, which bans voting practices that
disproportionately impact people of color. In a statement, the American
Civil Liberties Union called the ruling "a warning to other states that
are trying to make it harder for citizens to vote." The Wisconsin law is
the latest voter ID law to be struck down, following similar measures in
Arkansas last week and in Pennsylvania in January.

 

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