Voting Rights

Since 1965, the ACLU has worked to protect the gains in political participation won by racial and language minorities since passage of the historic Voting Rights Act (VRA) that same year. Since its inception, the ACLU Voting Rights Project has aggressively and successfully challenged efforts that dilute minority voting strength or obstruct the ability of minority communities to elect candidates of their choice. The ACLU Voting Rights Project has filed more than 300 lawsuits to enforce the provisions of the VRA and the U.S. Constitution.

Photo ID Affected Individual Survey
If you feel that you are being affected by the Voter ID law, please download and print the Affected Individual Survey. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD.

Voter ID: Affected by the new voter ID law in Wisconsin?
Starting in February, all Wisconsin voters are going to have to show photo ID to vote. If you don’t have photo ID, you can’t vote for Milwaukee Mayor in April and you can’t vote for President in November 2012, or for any other candidate. For most people, the “photo ID” you will need to vote is a Wisconsin state ID card or a Wisconsin driver’s license. We know there are people having trouble getting a state ID - especially people who don’t have and can’t get the papers they need to get the ID (like a birth certificate and proof of where you live and a social security card). We want to talk to people having problems getting ID, who also want to fight this law!
CALL (414) 272-4032, ext. 216 or email: inquiries@aclu-wi.org
Voter ID flier (English)
Voter ID flier (Spanish)
Voter ID flier (Students)

Students: Concerned About Your Voting Rights?
Thursday, October 6, 2011
The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin is concerned about today’s decision by the Government Accountability Board not to permit the use of stickers to modify college ID cards in order to make them voting compliant. This decision reverses the GAB’s recent position that use of stickers would be acceptable. The ACLU also objects to the GAB’s decision to prohibit the use of ID cards from accredited technical colleges in Wisconsin, an action likely to make voting more difficult for technical college students – many of whom are students of color. Read more…
Press Release: 10/6/2011 - ACLU of WI Denounces Photo ID Policy Reversal: Calls on Students to Contact Their Lawyers

ACLU of Wisconsin Urges Legislators to Slow Down on Redistricting: Proposals May Pose Violations of Federal Law
Tuesday July 19, 2011
The ACLU of Wisconsin urges the Wisconsin legislature to slow down the rush to redraw state legislative districts so that affected communities have time to fully review and respond to the proposals. Federal law prohibits the drawing of districts that have the effect of diluting minority voting strength. Determining whether a plan dilutes minority voting strength requires careful consideration of a number of factors and alternative plans. That analysis cannot be completed on the timeline contemplated by the legislature. The important task of redrawing of district lines demands deliberation and public input. Rushing the plan through without thorough analysis creates the risk that an illegal plan will be adopted.
Press Release: 7/19/2011 - ACLU of Wisconsin Urges Legislators to Slow Down on Redistricting

Elections and Voting Rights: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Tuesday July 19, 2011
With special and recall elections scheduled in various parts of Wisconsin in July and August and the recent passage of a "voter id" law, many people have questions about voting procedures. The FAQ below may answer most of voters’ common questions. Perhaps most important, voters should know that the photo identification requirement does not go into effect until 2012. Voters will be asked for identification, but they are not required to provide it at elections in 2011 and will be able to vote if they do not have an id. However, there are some changes to registration and voting procedures that will be in effect for the July and August elections. The Government Accountability Board, which oversees elections in Wisconsin, has more information on the Voter ID law and other aspects of voting.
Fact Sheets (PDF): Wisconsin Voting: Know Your Rights; Voting Rights FAQ (detail); Voting in Wisconsin with a criminal conviction

ACLU Urges Wisconsin Senate to Reject Unnecessary Photo ID Bill Without Reasonable Improvements
Friday May 20, 2011
The ACLU of Wisconsin believes that Wisconsin is poised to wrongly and unconstitutionally disfranchise many eligible voters. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, ACLU of WI Director Chris Ahmuty mentioned two examples of amendments that the Senate majority tabled. One amendment would have clarified how to proceed when the voter’s name on his/her photo ID and poll list are not exactly identical. Another amendment would have created a “fail safe” provision allowing indigent persons who are completely unable to obtain a photo ID to vote. Ahmuty‟s letter chided Fitzgerald for ignoring ways to improve the bill. He wrote, “a better version of the bill will mitigate the harm this legislation will cause.”
Press Release: 5/20/2011 – ACLU Urges Wisconsin Senate to Reject Unnecessary Photo ID Bill Without Reasonable Improvements

Voter ID Law Would Disenfranchise Citizens, Not Fix Illegal Votes
The Wisconsin Legislature is about to debate a proposal to require one of a limited number of government-issued photo IDs each time eligible voters cast their ballots. The ACLU has opposed these deeply flawed laws in other states. But the law as proposed in Wisconsin is the most restrictive we've ever seen. To deny potentially thousands of voters the right to freely cast a ballot to fix a non-existent problem is unconscionable in a free society. Read more…
Press release: ACLU of WI Opposes Voter ID Proposal (SB 6): Restrictive Photo ID Requirements for Voting Will Disenfranchisement Eligible Voters, Not Fix Illegal Votes; (AB 7)
Testimony: 5/6/2011 – ACLU of WI opposes Senate Bill 6; ACLU of WI opposes Assembly Bill 7
Letter to Joint Finance Committee Chairs: ACLU of WI response to Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 to 2011 Assembly Bill 7, with references to Senate Bill 6 and amendments
Action Alert: Take action – Tell your state legislators to say NO to photo ID at the polls

Recounts Shed Light on Elections Process
Wednesday April 20, 2011
In light of this afternoon’s request by the Kloppenburg campaign for a recount in the Supreme Court election, the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin affirms the right of candidates to pursue recounts as state law allows. The ACLU traditionally does not call for or participate in recounts. However we believe that recounts can shed welcome light on the electoral process and give Wisconsin voters confidence in the results of elections and municipal procedures. Read more…
Press Release: 4/20/2011 – Recounts Shed Light on Elections Process: A recount in a close election is the legal right of candidates

Voters: Photo ID Not Required on Election Day
Tuesday March 29, 2011
The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin would like to remind voters that they don’t have to show a photo ID to vote on Election Day, Tuesday April 5. Though photo ID is not required to vote in Tuesday’s election, voters across the state may be confused about current voting laws due to a proposal before the legislature (SB 6) that, if passed, would require eligible voters to show one of a limited number of state-issued photo identification documents each time they vote. Read more…
Press Release: ACLU of WI Reminds Voters: Photo ID Not Required on Election Day (PDF)
Voting rights card: Voting in Wisconsin with a Criminal Conviction (PDF)
Bilingual voting rights information: Who Can Vote in Wisconsin (English/Spanish – PDF), Hmong (PDF)

Wisconsin Democracy Restoration Act:
On July 28, 2009, Wisconsin state Representative Tamara Grisgsby and state Senator Lena Taylor introduced the Wisconsin Democracy Restoration Act (AB 353/SB 240), a bill that would restore voting rights to people with felony convictions upon release from incarceration. The ACLU of Wisconsin has been a leader in building the Restore the Vote – WI NOW coalition which working to change the state law to allow people with felony convictions to vote immediately upon release from prison instead of after they have finished with probation, parole and extended supervision.

Restoring voting rights to people upon release from prison is a core voting rights and civil liberties issue. These U.S. citizens live, work, pay taxes, go to school, and raise families in our communities while they are learning to reintegrate into society. An estimated 42,000 WI citizens would be enfranchised by the Wisconsin Democracy Restoration Act.

“When the Wisconsin Democracy Restoration Act sees a floor vote, we hope the Wisconsin legislature will put partisanship aside and cast a vote for democracy,” said ACLU of Wisconsin Associate Director Renee Crawford. “After then Texas Governor George W. Bush enfranchised ex-felons in 1997, bipartisan efforts to advance voting rights were successful in 20 states all across the country, 15 of which were led by Republican Governors. The Wisconsin Democracy Restoration Act is good for everyone involved in the political process.”

The bill had a hearing on August 27, 2009 and over 70 people testified and registered in support of the bill. Experts on the criminal justice system, anti-racism activists and formerly incarcerated people hoping to one day vote all gave impassioned testimonies to the legislators on the Assembly Committee on Corrections and the Courts. Their statements outlined how voting rights and laws are impacted by Wisconsin’s disproportionate minority incarceration rate and other institutionalized bias. Committee chair, Rep. Joseph Parisi had introduced a similar bill in the last session and was clearly in support of a law change.

On Tuesday, October 13, 2009, the ACLU of Wisconsin was again among the voices of voting rights advocates in support of SB 240 at the Senate committee on Labor, Elections and Urban Affairs (only the state Attorney General registered against the bill). Most committee members made positive statements about the bill and Senator Glen Grothman compared the denial of voting rights for ex-felons to the denial of gun rights to people who have long-since paid their dues to society.

2008 Election Protection Efforts in Wisconsin:
In 2008, the ACLU of Wisconsin partnered with lawyers and voting rights advocates across the state to organize poll watchers and engage in election protection watchdog efforts. You can download, Election Protection Full Report 2008(PDF) a full report that describes the outcomes of the Election Protection coalition’s efforts including suggestions for the state and municipal clerks to ensure a greater access of citizens to the ballot box in future elections.

For more resources and information on the ACLU’s work on voting rights across the nation, please visit the ACLU’s voting rights webpage.