Wisconsin's Voter ID law will not be in effect for April 7th election; but it will be after that

WASHINGTON (WITI/AP) — After years of legal wrangling, it appears Wisconsin's Voter ID law will soon be in effect -- but Attorney General Brad Schimel says that won't happen in time for the April 7th election.

Schimel said Monday, March 23rd that because absentee voting has already begun, it is too late to implement the law for this election. But he says it will be in effect after that.

This, after the United States Supreme Court announced earlier Monday it won't hear a challenge to the law -- clearing the way for it to take effect.

"First thing this morning, we heard the decision that the Supreme Court was not going to hear the appeal of Wisconsin's Voter ID case," Milwaukee County Clerk Joe Czarnezki said.

Now, the question is exactly when the Voter ID law would take effect in Wisconsin.

"We were waiting to hear from the state Department of Justice," Czarnezki said.

The DOJ on Monday issued a statement that reads in part:

The American Civil Liberties Union asked a federal appeals court to block implementation of the law for the April 7th election. In-person absentee voting began for the election on Monday.

"If the law is now implemented with the spring elections in 2016, the local election officials will have time to train the election inspectors to check for Voter ID," Czarnezki said.

Government Accountability Board director Kevin Kennedy says he expects there to be special elections later this year where the IDs will be required.

Schimel issued the following statement in regards to this development:

Gov. Scott Walker issued this statement:

State Sen. Mark Miller (D - Monona) issued this statement:

State Sen.  Leah Vukmir (R - Wauwatosa) issued this statement:

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate issued this statement:

State Sen. Paul Farrow (R-Pewaukee) has issued this statement:

Rock County Circuit Court Judge and April 7th Wisconsin Supreme Court challenger James Daley issued this statement:

State Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) issued this statement:

State Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) issued this statement: