NAACP/Voces Voter ID Case Update — Oral Argument Before Supreme Court Scheduled for Feb. 25

The Wisconsin Supreme Court has scheduled oral argument for later this month, on Feb. 25th at 9:45 am in the NAACP/Voces challenge to the constitutionality of the voter ID requirement in 2011 Wisconsin Act 23. Hawks Quindel attorneys Richard Saks, Michele Sumara, and Jeffrey Sweetland have represented the plaintiffs, including the Milwaukee Branch of the NAACP, Voces de la Frontera, and 12 individual voters, throughout the course of the litigation. The Dane County circuit court issued a preliminary injunction on March 6, 2012, declaring that Act 23 likely violates Art. III, Sec. 1 of the Wisconsin Constitution because it constitutes an unreasonable and onerous burden on the right to vote for large numbers of qualified voters lacking the types of photo ID required by the law. The court made the injunction permanent on June 17, 2012 following five days of trial declaring that the cost and difficulty of obtaining a photo ID is a substantial burden upon a significant number of Wisconsin citizens who are otherwise constitutionally qualified to vote. The injunction has remained in effect while the case has been pending on appeal. The Wisconsin Supreme Court granted a petition for review in a separate case, filed by the League of Women Voters challenging Act 23, and then decides to also take the NAACP/Voces case from the Court of Appeals in order to hear it along with the League case. The Supreme Court’s Calendar and case synopses are available here.