News & Commentary

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.” 

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.

The new session of the Wisconsin Legislature has barely begun and legislators are pushing a bill that will require all voters to present a government-issued photo ID every time they go to the polls. The bill (Senate Bill 6 - PDF) will be heard by the Senate Committee on Transportation and Elections Jan. 26. The ACLU has opposed these deeply flawed laws in other states. But the law as proposed in Wisconsin is the worst and 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. While proponents of this bill say it will fix vote fraud, the state Senate Committee on Transportation and Elections will hear from voters and advocates who will testify on why the plan will have a discriminatory impact on minorities and will be a costly and ineffective attempt to prevent fraud.

Today the ACLU of Wisconsin will testify against SB 6, a bill that would require every eligible voter to show a photo ID each time they cast a ballot in a state election. While proponents of this bill say it will fix vote fraud, the state Senate Committee on Transportation and Elections will hear from voters and advocates who will testify on why the plan will have a discriminatory impact on minorities and will be a costly and ineffective attempt to prevent fraud.