Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Walker now writing election law, he calls "rules," to Influence Voter ID court challenges.

Wow, did voting in Wisconsin just get a whole lot more convoluted?

Let’s start with the idea that Scott Walker can write election law, which he's calling a “rule,” without the help of the legislature. Is this one of those executive orders usurping the legislatures constitutional duties?

Walker is now trying at the last minute to influence lawsuits now affecting voter ID. This would not have happened otherwise. What a guy. JS:
Voters who are seeking a photo ID card but not yet received it will be able to use a Division of Motor Vehicles receipt to vote in more cases, under a new rule Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker approved Wednesday just ahead of Monday's federal trial on the state's voting laws.

1. In December, U.S. District Judge James Peterson in Madison threw out a challenge to the voter ID law itself, but determined the liberal One Wisconsin Institute and others who brought the lawsuit could keep alive their arguments that voters should be able to use a broader range of IDs for voting. A trial is set to begin Monday.

2. Wednesday's action also comes in the wake of a unanimous ruling last month by the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals that opened the door to the possibility that people could cast ballots without presenting IDs if they have great difficulty getting them. That decision returned the case to U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman in Milwaukee for further proceedings. "The right to vote is personal and is not defeated by the fact that 99% of other people can secure the necessary credentials easily," Appeals Judge Frank Easterbrook wrote for the panel. The ruling was targeted at some of the same people and ID problems covered by the new Walker administration rules, such as those whose birth certificates contain errors or are no longer available.
COMPLICATED, CONVOLUTED...or, maybe you should think twice about going through all that trouble: With all the hoops already in place just to vote, add to that, this...
1. The DMV is changing the process used to issue receipts to residents who are seeking a photo ID to vote

2. The receipts are meant to be used for voting while the DMV sorts out whether those applying for regular ID cards should get them.

3. The ID cards are free and under the new rule the DMV will have to pay for applicants to get birth certificates or other key documents.

4. The receipts will be issued by mail within six days if the DMV is unable to make a determination before then on whether a regular ID card should be issued. The receipts will include the applicant's photo and be marked "for voting purposes only."

5. People who have previously been denied ID cards or whose requests are pending will be issued receipts for voting, according to the rule.
And check this out. You think the administration won't check to see if your name is on any of the existing recall lists? This applies to point 4 above as well:
6. Administrators in DMV's central office in Madison will make the final call on who gets ID cards if they don't have birth certificates or other documentation of their identity. In the past, that's been left to officials in DMV offices around the state. Having the decisions made at the agency's headquarters is aimed at more consistent rulings.

7. The DMV will have to provide translators for those who cannot read or understand information about the process for getting IDs, the rule says.
At no cost to the state? Oh, who cares...

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