A trial began Monday in a case challenging Wisconsin’s law requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls. Also on Monday, the Wisconsin Supreme Court said that it won’t be taking up two cases pertaining to the state’s controversial voter ID law. That means the trial starting Monday in one of the two lawsuits is proceeding. The news came as lawyers made opening arguments in connection to a lawsuit brought by the Milwaukee chapter of the NAACP and Voces de la Frontera, an immigrants’ rights group. Both groups argue the law disenfranchises voters. NAACP attorney Richard Saks said testimony will show there are hundreds of thousands of voters who don’t have the required ID necessary to vote. “As such, this law needlessly imposes an onerous and unreasonable burden on otherwise qualified voters from participating in elections in the state of Wisconsin,” Saks said.
But Assistant Attorney General Carrie Benedon said the number is far less, and the burden placed on voters isn’t nearly as large or widespread as alleged. “The defendants will present evidence showing the alleged burden imposed by the voter ID requirements is neither sufficiently widespread nor sufficiently severe to facilely invalidate the requirements in Act 23,” Benedon said.
Dane County Circuit Judge David Flanagan is hearing the case. Last month, Flanagan issued a temporary injunction blocking the law from taking effect pending the trial. A second judge issued a permanent injunction, and appeals were filed in both decisions.
Full Article: Trial in voter ID lawsuit begins | News – Channel3000.com.