Wisconsin Voter-Id Law could block 300,000 registered voters from voting

[Samantha]

http://www.thenation.com/article/wisconsins-voter-id-law-could-block-300000-registered-voters-from-the-polls/

 Johnny Randle, a 74-year-old African-American resident of Milwaukee, moved to Wisconsin from Mississippi in 2011, the same year the state legislature passed a law requiring a government-issued photo ID to cast a ballot. Randle, with the help of his daughter, petitioned the DMV to issue him a free ID for voting because he could not afford to pay for his Mississippi birth certificate.

After a five-month “adjudication process,” the DMV denied his request. His daughter ultimately tracked down his Mississippi birth certificate, but the name listed, Johnnie Marton Randall, did not match the name he’d used his entire life, Johnny Martin Randle. The DMV said that he would either need to correct his name through the Social Security Administration and get a new Social Security card reflecting the name on his birth certificate or go to court to “change” his name and “provide court documents reflecting that your name has legally been changed to read as ‘Johnny M Randle.’” But Randle worried that any change to his Social Security information might interrupt the monthly disability payments he survives on. (This account comes from a new lawsuit challenging Wisconsin’s voting restrictions filed by Democratic lawyer Marc Elias, Hillary Clinton’s campaign counsel.)

Randle was forced to choose between his livelihood and his right to vote. As of the April 5 presidential primary, he is still not able to vote in Wisconsin. After voting without incident in the formerly Jim Crow South, he was disenfranchised when he moved to the North. Stories like Randle’s are why the Wisconsin Supreme Court dubbed the voter ID law a “de facto poll tax” and it was blocked in state and federal court until a panel of Republican-appointed judges reinstated the measure in 2014.

This is a very interesting article. I am posting it and then turning in so I won't be making any comments tonight (sorry). Also, if this a dup, I apologize for that.

Sam

[elleng]

1. Anyone surprised?

[JonLeibowitz]

3. No but I have seen some gleeful posts in the Hillary Clinton group.

The "misinformed" young people who don't know how to research a candidate's prior positions and flip-flops are disadvantaged apparently, and they're big fans of this.

[mcar]

14. Link to these posts?

[LisaM]

16. That's untrue. She and people allied with her campaign have been fighting this for a long time.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/04/us/politics/democrats-voter-rights-lawsuit-hillary-clinton.html?_r=0

[Gothmog]

19. And yet, Hillary's counsel Marc Elias is the one pursuing the lawsuit here.

I have read the latest petition and some of the pleadings. Here is a link that has all of the filings (there is a lag of a day or so between the actual filing and going on the website) http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/OneWisconsin.v.Nichol.php The Second Amended Petition is well done http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/documents/SECONDAMENDEDCOMPLAINTagainstAllDefendants032516.pdf

This case goes to trial in May. It will be a fun case to watch as Marc is a great attorney. Unfortunately, there is a good chance that this Wisconsin voter id law will be in effect for the November election. The Texas voter id law was struck down a while back and 7 federal judges have ruled against the law but it is still in effect.

[JonLeibowitz]

21. Did you think that has something to do with my comment?

I don't.

[Gothmog]

23. The fact that you do not understand the connection is not my fault

The Clinton campaign is based on supporting voting rights which is why Elias is filing these lawsuits. The Clinton platform is one of the best set of proposals to protect the right to vote that I have seen and this is one of my passions. https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/voting-rights/

Hillary has laid out her vision for how to expand access to the ballot box for all Americans and how to defend against the systematic, deliberate efforts to stop millions of citizens from participating in our democracy:

Repairing the Voting Rights Act. Congress should move quickly to pass legislation that would fix the damage done to the Voting Rights Act by the Supreme Court and restore the full protections American voters need and deserve. These protections are crucial for young and minority voters, seniors, and other underrepresented groups disproportionately affected by harmful Republican efforts to restrict voting.

Setting a new national standard for early voting. It’s time to set a standard across our country of at least 20 days of early in-person voting, including opportunities for evening and weekend voting. This will reduce long lines and give more people an opportunity to vote, especially those who have work or family obligations during the day. Early in-person voting isn’t just convenient—it’s also more secure, more reliable, and more affordable than absentee voting.

Implementing universal, automatic voter registration. Every citizen in every state should be automatically registered to vote when they turn 18, unless they choose to opt out. At the same time, we need to make sure that registration rolls are secure, up to date, and accurate. When you move, your registration should move with you. Modernizing registration will add tens of millions of voters to the rolls, cost less, and reduce the potential for errors or irregularities.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

31. Why and how is the law still in effect if it has been struck down?

I don't understand how it is still law if the case has been adjudicated? Is it a problem of enforcement (I can't imagine how, though). Do you have any other information where I can research?

Thanks for the link, by the way.

[Gothmog]

33. Two separate lawsuits

In Texas, the voter id law was struck down but the case is on appeal and the 5th Circuit enjoyed the mandate of the law. 7 federal judges has found that the Texas voter id law violated Section 2 of the voting rights act but the law remains in effect. The entire 5th Circuit will hear the appeal of the texas vote id case en banclate in May and there is a decent chance that there will not be a ruling until after the November election. The private plaintiffs in the Texas case are appealing for relief to the SCOTUS but relief is unlikey with a 4 to 4 split. Here is a link to all of the pleadings and briefs in the Texas case http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/VeaseyV.Perry.php

In Wisconsin, the Federal Circuit court upheld the law in a poorly written opinion that claimed that you cannot fly under TSA regulations without a drivers' license. The case was appealed to the SCOTUS and cert was denied. Marc Elias sued after this on the basis that the law as applied violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and will be making the same arguments and using similar evidence as was used in the Texas case. There was a ruling that some of the earlier claims were resolved in the first case and Elias was able to convince the court to let him file a new set of pleadings and to litigate these issues on a different basis than the first case. In addition, Elias has added some new claims that the State of Wisconsin is not giving free birth certificates and other documents so that the law is a poll tax. This is a well pled case and the Wisconsin case is scheduled in May. Again, I will look later but I rely on reading the actual briefs and rulings in these cases. The link to all of the rulings and pleadings in this case is here http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/litigation/OneWisconsin.v.Nichol.php

There will be more as the 5th Cir. case and the Elias Wisconsin case proceeds.

[Fantastic Anarchist]

35. Thank you for taking the time to provide that info.

In your opinion, how do you think both cases will play out in May?

[pnwmom]

34. Not true. Minority voters will be impacted most so this will reduce her support.

And will hurt the whole party in November.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

26. Voter ID is unconstitutional and is an assault on America.

[quantass]

2. I'm Canadian. Why is the requirement of ID a problem to vote? Why wouldnt an adult have ID?! nt

[elleng]

5. As voter id has become a political issue,

republican governors etc have made it more and more difficult to obtain them, especially for those who don't drive (elderly, for example,) students who live 'out of state,' those who never had birth certificates (African-American southerners,) and cost, as above, etc. It's become a dishonest political football.

[PeaceNikki]

10. Here you go

http://www.gwenmooreforcongress.com/wisconsins-regressive-voter-id-law-its-about-suppressing-the-vote/

[SFnomad]

13. You didn't bother to read the article, did you? n/t

[Jackie Wilson Said]

27. Unnecessary, voter fraud, in person voter fraud is virtually non existent.

I dont care if you are born with an ID stamped on your forehead, it is NOT necessary when it comes to voting.

[rpannier]

28. Did you read the article or not

If not, start there
If so, did you see the part about the spelling and his disability
BTW: If you live in (I think it's) Alsip WI, their offices are opened on the 5th Wednesday of every month from 4-5 and that's it
So good luck getting one

[Fantastic Anarchist]

32. We can't have the wrong citizens vote!

I mean, that may hurt the 1% a little. I mean that could be the difference between 5 or 6 mansions, if the wrong people were allowed to vote.

Duh!

[Kentonio]

4. Partisan primary politics aside, this is horrific and should never be ok.

[lark]

6. They also have very onerous rules for college students and married women.

Only old white men need vote in WI - according to Scott Walker and his Koch brothers mafia. They are totally disgusting and the justice dept. needs to intervene.

[SpankMe]

7. I wonder where the liberal media is on this? n/t

[PeaceNikki]

12. It's been a law since 2011 but has been tied up in court until this year.

The local media has been discussing it quite frequently for years.

FTR, I agree with Gwen Moore's assessment of it: http://www.gwenmooreforcongress.com/wisconsins-regressive-voter-id-law-its-about-suppressing-the-vote/

[Skwmom]

8. That is ridiculous. He should have been issued a voter id card.

[Highway61]

11. tried to post a link

didn't work the first time


http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/04/04/3766032/wisconsin-voter-id-students/

[progree]

15. Excellent article, by the way - details all the ways Wisconsin make it difficult for students

deliberately and unnecessarily.

[pnwmom]

37. Most students were able to get usable and free ID's right on campus.

Other voters had it much harder.

[progree]

39. Well, that's what my Republican friends always say -- its not that big of a deal for most students

Last edited Wed Apr 6, 2016, 12:26 PM - Edit history (1)

I still found it an interesting article about how the legislature / Gov. Walker put in as many obstacles as possible. Some of the below were targeted at students specifically:

The fact that they accept all kinds of IDs -- besides drivers licenses (even expired ones), they accept passport, tribal ID, military ID, and veterans ID, but not accepting regular student IDs from most colleges

Accepting even expired drivers licenses, but student IDs must be less than 2 years old

and a student must bring additionally proof of enrollment (no other demographic is asked to bring additional information along with a valid ID)

And while poll workers are only mandated to look at a person’s name and photo on most IDs, when examining student IDs they must also check for a signature

And not all colleges are providing these special IDs

And the legislature provided "almost nothing" (per the article) for funding for voter education on the new ID requirements. Apparently, from the article, some colleges haven't been doing much of that either.

Nothing like standing in line for an hour or more to vote, only to be told that you have to have proof of enrollment, or your ID is more than 2 years old, yada, too bad.

I'm not claiming that students are the most peed-upon demographic, but the legislature peed on them about as much as they constitutionally could (arguably constitutionally).

[Still In Wisconsin]

17. That's exactly the way it's designed to work.

Walker's Wisconsin- bears almost no resemblance to the place I've lived for all but two of my 51 years.

[Gothmog]

18. As Hillary Clinton Pitches Voting Rights On The Trail, Her Counsel Looks To Fight For Them In Court

Marc Elias, the chief counsel for the Clinton Victory Counsel program, is busy suing the GOP and fighting GOP vote suppression http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/16/voting-rights-lawsuits-_n_7594960.html

The general counsel for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s campaign is heading up three high-profile lawsuits against Republican-backed voting restrictions in what is shaping up to be a perfect political and legal storm leading up to the 2016 election.

The attorney, Marc Elias, is involved in lawsuits challenging measures passed in Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin, arguing that laws cutting back early voting, restricting registration and requiring photo identification to vote, among other measures, disproportionately impact racial minorities.

Conservatives have argued such measures protect against voter fraud, and have called the lawsuits a political effort to energize Democratic voters. The financial involvement of the billionaire liberal philanthropist George Soros, who is supporting the suits, has only incensed them further.

There are high stakes to the lawsuits, as the Supreme Court displayed a certain skepticism about federal voting rights legislation when it struck down a key section of the landmark Voting Rights Act in 2013. That provision had required states and localities with a history of voting discrimination to first clear any changes to their voting laws with the federal government or in federal court. The VRA still bars voting procedures that discriminate against racial minorities, but the strength of that section hasn’t been tested since the court’s controversial decision two years ago.

So, while the politics of Elias’ cases have attracted most of the attention — Clinton recently decried measures supported by Republican governors, like fellow presidential hopeful Scott Walker of Wisconsin — there is an equivalent amount of intrigue on the legal side. Some of the provisions targeted in the lawsuits, like Wisconsin’s voter identification law, have already been challenged, while others, like Virginia’s photo ID law, haven’t yet seen the inside of a courtroom.

The GOP is very good at voter suppression and I am glad that Marc is fighting against the GOP. Unfortunately, the Wisconsin voter id law will be in effect for Tuesday primary. The Elias lawsuit is schedule to go to trial in May

[Lucinda]

20. Yet another reasosn I support her. She doesnt just talk about problems

she works to fix them. And for all of you who are saying there is no need to help down ticket Dems, these GOP efforts to rob people of their rights...voting, reproductive, etc... are exactly why you are wrong.

[leftynyc]

22. And it's the HILLARY campaign

who is fighting this in court.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/16/voting-rights-lawsuits-_n_7594960.html

Where's Bernie?

[pnwmom]

36. He's helped by having fewer minority voters -- but neither one would be helped

by this happening in the General.

[leftynyc]

38. Minority votes getting supressed

could decide this election. Easily.

[Thor_MN]

24. One wonders is a hypothetical Ole Johnsen with a birth certificate saying Ola Jonsen

would face the same problem....

[JaneyVee]

25. AWFUL

[red dog 1]

29. The Voter-ID Laws are a direct result of "The K Street Project"

As are most Republican Governors, Lt. Governors, state Attorneys General, & state legislatures,

The USA has been taken over by K Street "plants" like the governors of:
Wisconsin...Scott Walker
Michigan....Rick Snyder
Texas.....Greg Abbott
Ohio.....John Kasich
Florida...Rick Scott
and many more states as well.

"If You Don't Know About The K Street Project, You Don't Know Jack"
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2006/01/13/3188/k-street-project/

It's like a real life version of the movie "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"

These Repukes couldn't win elections fairly, so they "rigged them" and gave us
Scott Walker, Rick Snyder, Greg Abbott, Rick Scott and God only knows how many
United States Congressmen & U.S. Senators

Prompted For a New American Century (PNAC)
The K Street Project
Voting Machine Tampering
Voter-ID Laws

How could the people of Wisconsin have elected Scott Walker?
(answer) They didn't!
"How did Scott Walker Ever Become Governor of Wisconsin?"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1016128214

[Fantastic Anarchist]

30. Welcome to the Land of the Free (certain restrictions apply) and the Home of the Brave ...

Welcome to the Land of the Free (certain restrictions apply) and the Home of the Brave (not available in all areas).