(Milwaukee) Today, Senator Lena C. Taylor issued the following statement after the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued two decisions upholding 2011 Act 23, a law which would require voters to show photo identification at the polls:

“I am deeply troubled and disappointed in today’s ruling; the decision is a complete deviation from the transparent, open, and accessible democracy that has allowed our state to thrive. The manipulation of the electorate is nothing new, but in recent years the Republican controlled legislature has drastically expanded its scope. I am comforted by the U.S. Justice Department’s recent release of a brief supporting voters challenging the identification laws in Wisconsin.”

“However, today’s decision pushes our state back toward the Jim Crow era through the use of  subversive laws. Today’s decision serves not to eliminate voter fraud, but to selectively disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of people. These changes don’t just make it harder to vote—they make it more difficult for citizens to participate and believe in the fairness of their government. Changes such as strict voter ID and cuts to early voting disproportionately affect minorities, low-income families, the elderly, and students. Not only will this decision affect voters in large cities such as Milwaukee or Madison, but in rural communities where traveling great distances is required to find the nearest DMV.”

“A federal circuit court must still rule on Wisconsin’s voter identification law before it goes into effect.  In April, a federal district court judge ruled the law was unconstitutional; I am hopeful that the appeals court will agree.

“In the meantime, I am resolved to join my colleagues around the country who are fighting for unfettered access to the ballot box. I will not rest until all Wisconsinites who are eligible and desire to vote may do so, unimpeded.”