Some Wisconsin voters may vote earlier than ever before in this year’s presidential election because of a recent court ruling coupled with an earlier fall primary.
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The 7 Circuit’s refusal to stay the lower court’s ruling is especially remarkable in light of that decision’s broad holding.
Last week, the city of Madison announced it would start early in-person absentee voting on September 26 in the clerk’s office in the City-County Building. That’s a month earlier than would have been allowed under a state law that restricted early voting.
U.S. District Judge James Peterson invalidated parts of Wisconsin’s election laws last month, striking down limits on early voting and prohibitions on allowing people to vote early at multiple sites.
“This is a huge victory for Wisconsin voters”, Ross said. “Even then, getting over the 4-4 ideological split seems iffy”, Hasen wrote, saying that it is unlikely the state would attempt to appeal to the entire 7th Circuit Court of Appeals after Monday’s decision by three of the circuit’s judges. Peterson also struck down other laws like one that requires people to live at their new addresses for 28 days before they can vote there.
Peterson also ordered the state to quickly issue credentials valid for voting for anyone struggling to obtain photo ID.
That’s a month earlier than would have been allowed under early voting restrictions that have been struck down.
Monday’s one-page order was handed down by Judges Frank Easterbrook, Michael Kanne and Diane Sykes, all of whom were appointed by Republican presidents.
The court could take further action on the case between now and the November 8th election that would change the voting rules, however. Officials are hoping to make voting available to people around the city, including at public libraries and on the campuses of University of Wisconsin-Madison and Edgewood College, she said.
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The attorney general is reviewing Monday’s decision, said Johnny Koremenos, a spokesman for Schimel.
