Voter Protection
"In its rush to enact a Voter ID law, the Wisconsin Legislature failed to pay attention to the Wisconsin Constitution. Luckily, the League of Women Voters had the courage to stand up and defend the fundamental right of to vote that our constitution guarantees," said Pines [case attorney].”
“The U.S. Justice Department used its power under the Voting Rights Act to halt the Texas law, saying in a letter to the state today that the measure may disproportionately harm Hispanics. The department in December blocked a similar law in South Carolina (NFSESC).”
“Dane County judge permanently enjoined the state's new voter ID law on Monday - the second judge in a week to block the requirement that voters show photo identification at the polls ... Monday's decision came in a case brought against Walker and the accountability board by the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin.”
“The League of Women Voters, the American Association of Retired People and several other groups are opposing the bills because many eligible voters don't have the type of identification required and could have difficulty getting it.”
A Dane County judge ruled Monday that the Wisconsin League of Women Voters' lawsuit challenging the state voter ID law can proceed since the League is a proper party to bring the lawsuit and Wisconsin Governor Walker is a proper defendant.
“United States Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) each released the following statements today after the U.S. Department of Justice filed papers in court challenging portions of Florida’s new voting law.”
“A broad-based coalition of advocacy organizations, spearheaded by Tennessee Citizen Action, has mobilized to repeal Tennessee’s photo ID law and to increase voting-rights awareness. ... In the meantime, today, ACLU-TN is staffing a toll-free hotline for voters who encounter problems at the poll.”
“On Friday, the United States Department of Justice announced it will seek a trial regarding Florida’s controversial elections law overhaul, passed last year by the state Legislature. ... A court in Tallahassee is also currently considering a challenge to the law by the League of Women Voters of Florida, Rock the Vote, Florida PIRG, and others.”
“The skirmishing in Harrisburg over the last year on the bill that would require state-issued photo ID for practically all PA voters turns into a pitched battle on Monday with a committee vote scheduled and a series of actions by an opposition coalition designed to block final passage at the 11th hour.”
“Last year, the Florida legislature passed a bill enacting requirements for groups conducting voter registration drives so onerous that even the League of Women Voters were forced to pull out of the state. Sensible individuals would see this episode as a cautionary tale. South Carolina legislators view it instead as a how-to guide.”