A divided U.S. Supreme Court blocked Wisconsin’s voter ID law late Thursday, issuing a terse yet dramatic one-page ruling less than four weeks before the Nov. 4 election. The 6-3 vote means in all likelihood the requirement to show ID at the polls will not be in effect for the election. But Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said he would seek ways to reinstate the law within the month. Gov. Scott Walker and his fellow Republicans approved the law in 2011, but it was quickly blocked by a series of court decisions in four lawsuits. It was reinstated by a federal appeals court in recent weeks, but Thursday’s ruling again put the law on hold. “That is great news, wonderful news,” Milwaukee NAACP chapter President James Hall said. “I think it’s gratifying that the court has seen fit to block the implementation of this law that would most certainly create chaos and confusion in this election.”
Critics of the new law complained that the state would not be able to train poll workers, inform voters and distribute IDs to those who would need them to vote. But Van Hollen said his office “will be exploring alternatives to address the court’s concern and have voter ID on election day.” “I believe the voter ID law is constitutional, and nothing in the court’s order suggests otherwise,” the second-term Republican said in his statement.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said he was surprised by the high court’s action. “It’s disappointing,” Vos said. “It’s broadly supported by the public. We showed in every way possible we could handle it. It’s a common sense idea that should go forward.”
Ruling to block the voter ID law for this election were Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Stephen Breyer, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Elena Kagan, Anthony Kennedy and Sonia Sotomayor. Dissenting were Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas. Those in the majority did not explain their rationale.
Full Article: U.S. Supreme Court blocks Wisconsin voter ID law.