Federal appeals court rules in favor of Wisconsin's requirement that voters show photo ID
MADISON (AP) — A federal appeals court has ruled that Wisconsin's requirement for voters to show photo identification at the polls is constitutional.
The ruling Monday, October 6th from a three-judge panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is not surprising given that the court last month lifted an injunction blocking enforcement of the law hours after hearing arguments in the case.
That allowed state elections officials to begin preparing for the new requirement while opponents continued their legal fight.
The American Civil Liberties Union and the Advancement Project on Thursday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene and block the law from taking effect for the Nov. 4 election.
The appeals court ruled Monday that Wisconsin's law did not violate the U.S. Constitution, as a federal judge in Milwaukee had declared.
Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen issued this statement on the ruling:
“This decision on the merits provides greater certainty that Wisconsin citizens will have the election in November that they expected three years ago -- one with Voter ID.
Clearly the Seventh Circuit’s decision supports the idea that the will of the people as enacted by the legislature and approved by the executive accounts for something in our democracy.
Our Constitution provides not only for our freedoms and liberties, and limits on the government, but the three branches and their proper roles. This decision reinforces that fundamental notion.”
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