The Wisconsin Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to take up two separate cases over the state’s voter ID law, which has been blocked since shortly after it took effect in 2012. The move by the high court cancels oral arguments that were to be held next month before the District 2 Court of Appeals in Waukesha in one case. In the second case, the Supreme Court is agreeing to review a decision by the Madison-based District 4 Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court’s action comes six days after the Republican-run state Assembly voted to soften the voter ID law in hopes of overcoming four legal challenges. The state Senate is also controlled by Republicans, but leaders in that house have said they want to see how courts react to the cases before deciding whether to tweak the voter ID requirement. The short orders issued Wednesday by the Supreme Court put the two state cases before it and clear a path for decisions to be rendered by June. No one dissented in the decisions to take the cases. Meanwhile, two other challenges are being considered in federal court in Milwaukee. A two-week trial in those cases wrapped up last week, and U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman is expected to issue a written ruling early next year on whether the law is constitutional and in keeping with the federal Voting Rights Act.
The law would have to overcome all legal challenges for the voter ID requirement to be put back in place.
“I am very pleased the court has agreed to take these cases and I look forward to defending the law,” Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said in a statement.
Richard Saks, an attorney challenging the voter ID law, expressed optimism about his case, which is bypassing the Court of Appeals and going straight to the Supreme Court.
“Our view is we created a strong record and we felt (Dane County Circuit Judge David) Flanagan’s decision could be defended before any court of competent jurisdiction,” Saks said.
Full Article: Wisconsin Supreme Court to consider two voter ID cases.