Among the plaintiffs in the ACLU of Wisconsin Foundation case opposing Wisconsin’s new voter ID laws is Anthony Sharp, 19. An African-American Milwaukee resident, Anthony does not have any of the accepted forms of photo ID under the new voter ID law. Anthony, who lives with his family, also does not have income to buy a $20 certified copy of his birth certificate in order to vote.
“You shouldn’t have to pay all this money to be able to vote,” he said. “I’m a citizen and was excited about voting, but I don’t have the money to pay for all these documents. Every American must be able to vote, not just those who can afford to get an ID.” The ACLU of Wisconsin is fighting to preserve Wisconsinites’ right to vote.
(Update on the law: Thanks to CSW member group the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Education Network, the law was found unconstitutional in a Wisconsin circuit court. As that lawsuit and one other work their way through the state appeals system, the ACLU’s lawsuit in Federal court is on hold. The ACLU’s motion for preliminary injunction has been filed and stands as a backstop in the event the State Supreme Court reinstates the law.)
