General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsU.S. top court rejects challenge to Wisconsin voter ID law
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a challenge to Wisconsin's Republican-backed law requiring voters to present photo identification to cast a ballot, a measure Democrats contend is aimed at keeping their supporters from voting.
The justices declined to hear an appeal filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, which challenged the law. The ACLU said it then filed an emergency motion with a federal appeals court to try to keep the law from taking effect immediately.
Republican Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel said the law cannot be implemented for the state's April 7 election because absentee ballots are already in the hands of voters but would be in place for future elections. "This decision is final," Schimel said.
<snip>
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/23/us-usa-court-election-idUSKBN0MJ1DZ20150323
the new jim crow
Romeo.lima333
(1,127 posts)time to go get i.d.'s
OnyxCollie
(9,958 posts)Ginsburg?
Sotomayor?
Kagan?
Breyer?
I'm going with Kagan.
PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)ananda
(28,859 posts)It IS unconstitutional if the id's are not free and EASILY
obtainable.
PoliticAverse
(26,366 posts)'easy' was a matter of contention in the court's decision.
Gothmog
(145,201 posts)Gothmog
(145,201 posts)I know one of the attorneys representing the good guys in the Texas voter id case which is scheduled for oral arguments on April 28. The attorneys representing Texas plaintiffs did not want the ACLU to seek cert. in the Wisconsin case. The Texas case is a stronger case. The DOJ is a party in the Texas case and there are express findings of fact as to intentional discrimination in the Texas case.
Here are Prof. Hasen's observations http://electionlawblog.org/?p=71186
Had the Court agreed to hear the Wisconsin case, it is possible it would have read Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act even more narrowly in cases of vote denial, as well as make bad law on the scope of the equal protection clause. In this way, the Courts refusal to hear Wisconsins voter id case may be a blessing in disguise. As Ive long argued, the best way for liberals to cut their losses is to stay out of the Supreme Court when possible. Things could have been worse if the Court took Wisconsin than if they didnt. And if you trust Justice Ginsburg, trust her her in not voting to grant cert in this case.
I think that the Texas case is the stronger case and would be a better case to reach SCOTUS
Poiuyt
(18,123 posts)It makes me feel a little better, though I know it's still going to be a long hard fight.