News & Commentary

A copy of the Wisconsin Election Protection Report on the November 2014 Elections can be found here. The League of Women Voters Election observer report can be found here.

The American Civil Liberties Union today asked a federal district court to bolster access to the ballot for Wisconsin voters by permitting more types of acceptable identification for voting, and by allowing people who have difficulty obtaining identification to vote by affidavit.

This past Saturday morning, I had the privilege of speaking at Community Brainstorming, a weekly forum held at St. Matthew's CME Church. The topic was the Supreme Court's recent decision in Shelby County. Although Shelby County is often simply described as "gutting" the Voting Rights Act, it actually struck down the 48 year old formula by which certain states are required to seek the permission of the federal Department of Justice before they can implement any change in their election laws. Denying or abridging the right to vote on the basis of race continues to be prohibited by the Voting Rights Act and the United States Constitution. I don't want to repeat the arguments for and against the result in Shelby County. Wisconsin was never one of these pre-clearance jurisdictions. I want to make a larger point about federalism.

Cross posted from the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin.

The ACLU of Wisconsin does not endorse candidates, so we did not have a partisan stake in the outcome of yesterday’s election. However, we are committed to ensuring that Wisconsin citizens can cast a ballot without misinformation, intimidation or barriers. We focused our efforts leading up to November 6 on educating voters about their rights and working alongside partners in the Wisconsin Election Protection 866 OUR VOTE hotline project and poll watching.

ACLU of Wisconsin attorney Karyn Rotker responds to CBS 58 video of Whitefish Bay early voting polling station workers asking a voter to show photo ID when registering. The story link has the video.

Attorneys are standing by to answer voters’ questions now through Election Day. The Wisconsin Election Protection voter hotline is available to anyone. Stacy Harbaugh with the ACLU wants voters to know they can call with election-related questions or complaints.

The right to vote is what makes a country a true democracy.  It is the most basic right Americans share.

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.