Statement by Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen on Voter ID Injunction Issued by the Dane County Circuit Court

I have now had the opportunity to review Judge Flanagan’s “Order Granting Motion for Temporary Injunction,” in Milwaukee Branch of the NAACP, et al. v. Walker, et al., Dane County Case No. 11 CV 5492, and consult with my staff.  We will be moving quickly to bring this matter before an appellate court to ensure that the properly-enacted and legally-sufficient Voter ID law will be in full force and in effect before the April elections.

Illegal and fraudulent votes dilute and diminish the legitimate votes of qualified electors.  It is proper and legal for the State to require a person appearing at the polls to prove that he or she is, in fact, the eligible, registered elector whose vote is to be cast.   

The vast majority of eligible electors either has a qualifying photo ID or can obtain one without significant burdens.  For the rest, the law makes accommodations to reduce any potential burden.  These accommodations include a delayed effective date, a legislatively mandated educational campaign, a requirement that the Government Accountability Board provide assistance to electors in obtaining identification, and exemptions for military personnel, and those suffering from certain disabilities.

My office will continue its efforts to defend the law, and I am confident that the Voter ID law ultimately will be upheld.