Wisconsin’s Voter ID Law Foiled by Feds

WASHINGTON—Attorney General Eric Holder pledged on Wednesday that the federal government would remain aggressive in using Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act to guard against unjust voting restrictions, specifically criticizing Wisconsin’s voter ID statute. The statute, which was recently struck down by a federal district court as violating both the equal protection clause of the Constitution and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, erected significant barriers to equal access without serving any legitimate government interest, Holder said.

“The Wisconsin law erected significant barriers to equal access without serving any legitimate government interest,” Holder said. “It’s clear that discriminatory voting laws, rules, and regulations are not confined to any particular region. And thanks to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, neither are our enforcement efforts.”

The Wisconsin law, which was recently struck down by a federal district court, restricted access to voting and disproportionately impacted the state’s African-American and Latino voters, according to the court’s ruling. The ruling found that the defendants could not point to a single instance of known voter impersonation occurring in Wisconsin at any time in the recent past.

Holder’s comments came on the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that struck down a key part of the Voting Rights Act, known as Section 5. Section 5 required certain jurisdictions with histories of discrimination to seek preclearance from the federal government before new voting changes could take effect. The loss of Section 5 has forced the federal government to shift resources to the enforcement of other protections, including Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

During the past year, the federal government has filed Section 2 challenges to specific laws in North Carolina and Texas that could disproportionately restrict access to the ballot box for minority citizens. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act prohibits barriers to voting that disadvantage minority groups.

Holder emphasized that the federal government would continue to use Section 2 to protect the voting rights of all Americans. “It’s clear that discriminatory voting laws, rules, and regulations are not confined to any particular region. And thanks to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, neither are our enforcement efforts,” he said.

By enforcing Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the federal government is ensuring that all Americans have equal access to the ballot box, Holder said. “We will continue to aggressively enforce the Voting Rights Act, including Section 2, to protect the voting rights of all Americans,” he said.