Civil Rights Groups Petition Wisconsin Supreme Court to Hear Historic Voter ID Cases

GOP will not stop voter obstruction efforts

The Wisconsin Voter ID case, Milwaukee Branch of the NAACP v. Walker (Case 2012AP001652), has
been assigned for oral argument by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

In the wake of the gutting of the Voting Rights Act by the U.S. Supreme Court, the years-long Republican Party's project to obstruct minority, young, the elderly and homeless voters from casting votes has generated increased public scrutiny.

Wisconsin's voter ID cases are expected to draw nationwide political and legal attention.

An attorney challenging Wisconsin's Voter ID law petitioned the Wisconsin Supreme Court to hear another voter ID case, League of Women Voters of Wisconsin v. Walker (Case 2012AP584).

The petition was filed on June 28.

No jurists, none of whom are associated with the two cases, contacted for this piece will venture a guess for when the Voter ID cases will be heard and decided by the Court.

It is certainly within the realm of possibility that the Court will not decide the two cases prior to the November 2014 Wisconsin elections for attorney general and governor.

Several jurists say they would guess the two cases will not be consolidated.

The 2012-2013 Supreme Court administrative calendar lists dates no arguments and the calendar ends on July 31.

Two federal court voter ID cases remain as well on Wisconsin's Voter ID law.

• Frank v. Walker, (Case 11cv1128), U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
• Jones et al v. Deininger et al (Case 2:12-cv-00185), U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin

Wisconsin state voter ID court cases are:

• League of Women Voters of Wisconsin v. Walker (Case 11CV4669) - permanent injunction issued on March 12, 2012 by Judge Richard G. Niess. Court of Appeals opinion reversing trial court decision (a permanent injunction) filed May 30, 2013. (Appeal Number 2012AP000584 - AC) Petition was filed on June 28, 2013 for Wisconsin Supreme Court hearing.
• Milwaukee Branch of the NAACP v. Walker (Case 11CV5492) - permanent injunction order issued on July 17, 2012 by Judge David T. Flanagan. Wisconsin Supreme Court assigned oral arguments on June 26, 2013 for an unspecified date(s).

Wisconsin Constitution, Article III, Section 1 "Every United States citizen age 18 or older who is a resident of an election district in this state is a qualified elector of that district."