Judge orders permanent injunction against photo ID law

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MADISON (WKOW) -- A Dane County judge ruled Tuesday that the state cannot enforce or implement the photo identification requirements of the voter ID law.

In his judgment, Judge David Flanagan said 2011 Wisconsin Act 23 "tells more than 300,000 Wisconsin voters who do not have an acceptable form of photo identification that they cannot vote unless they first obtain a photo ID card."

Flanagan also said the requirements "impose a substantial burden upon a significant proportion of the Wisconsin citizens who are not yet registered to vote but who are legally eligible to register." He went on to say the requirements are "a substantial impairment of the right to vote" that's guaranteed in the Wisconsin Constitution.

Two groups, the Milwaukee chapter of the NAACP and Voces de la Frontera, sued the state, claiming the law put an unreasonable burden on voters.

Supporters of the law said it would combat voter fraud.

In March, Flanagan issued a temporary injunction that blocked the law. He made that injunction permanent with Tuesday's ruling.

A spokeswoman for the state Department of Justice says they will likely appeal the ruling, but won't make a final decision until after they have fully reviewed the order.