Wisconsin’s voter ID law was a mistake from the start; a political talking point dressed up as policy, aiming to fix a problem that doesn’t exist. And although the law isn’t particularly onerous for most people, there are some for whom obtaining the necessary ID is substantially difficult. So difficult that some won’t — or won’t be able to — go through the hassle of getting one. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman threw those people a lifeline, or “safety net,” as he called it. Adelman issued a preliminary ruling allowing Wisconsin voters without photo identification to cast ballots by swearing to their identity. Good for Adelman; allowing people to use affidavits to vote opens the ballot door to those who otherwise might not cast a ballot.
Attorney General Brad Schimel said the ruling was disappointing but did not say whether the state would appeal it. It shouldn’t. Government should be encouraging more people to vote, not placing limits on those who legitimately can.
As Sean Young, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union who represented those bringing the legal challenge, put it: “This ruling is a strong rebuke of the state’s efforts to limit access to the ballot box. It means that a fail-safe will be in place in November for voters who have had difficulty obtaining ID.”
Yes, November, not the August 9 primary: Adelman wanted to make sure election officials had enough time to implement the ruling, and Aug. 9 is coming up fast. The judge was right to put off implementation to November.
Full Article: Adelman provides a necessary safety net for voters.