Ruthelle Frank v. Scott Walker

In the

United States Court of Appeals
For the Seventh Circuit
____________________  

Nos.  14-­‐‑2058  &  14-­‐‑2059  
RUTHELLE  FRANK,  et  al.,  
Plaintiffs-­‐‑Appellees,  
v.  

SCOTT  WALKER,  Governor  of  Wisconsin,  et  al.,  
Defendants-­‐‑Appellants.  
____________________  
LEAGUE   OF   UNITED   LATIN   AMERICAN   CITIZENS   (LULAC)   OF  
WISCONSIN,  et  al.,  
Plaintiffs-­‐‑Appellees,  
v.  

DAVID   G.   DEININGER,   Member,   Government   Accountability  
Board,  et  al.,  
Defendants-­‐‑Appellants.  
____________________  

On  Suggestion  of  Rehearing  En  Banc.  
____________________  

DECIDED  OCTOBER  10,  2014  
____________________  
2   Nos.  14-­‐‑2058  &  14-­‐‑2059  

A  judge  in  active  service  requested  a  vote  on  the  question  
whether   to   rehear   this   appeal   en   banc.   Chief   Judge   Wood  
and   Judges   Posner,   Rovner,   Williams,   and   Hamilton   voted  
in   favor   of   rehearing   en   banc.   The   proposal   to   rehear   this  
case  en  banc  therefore  fails  by  an  equally  divided  court.  
This  order  does  not  affect  the  ability  of  any  party  to  seek  
rehearing  by  the  panel  or  the  full  court,  see  Fed.  R.  App.  P.  
35,   nor   does   it   affect   the   time   available   for   filing   a   petition,  
see  Fed.  R.  App.  P.  40.  
Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059% 3%
%

POSNER,% Circuit' Judge,% joined% by% Chief' Judge% WOOD% and%
Circuit'Judges%ROVNER,%WILLIAMS,%and%HAMILTON,%dissenting%
from%denial%of%rehearing%en%banc.%
The%Practitioner’s'Handbook'for'Appeals'to'the'United'States'
Court' of' Appeals' for' the' Seventh' Circuit% 161% (2014),% states% that%
“en% banc% rehearing% is% authorized% without% a% party’s% invita(
tion.%A%member%of%the%court%may%ask%for%a%vote%on%whether%
to% rehear% a% case% en% banc.”% I% asked% for% a% vote% on% whether% to%
rehear% these% appeals% en% banc.% The% judges% have% voted,% the%
vote% was% a% 5% to% 5% tie,% and% as% a% result% rehearing% en% banc% has%
been%denied.%We—the%five%who%voted%to%grant%rehearing%en%
banc—believe%that%the%decision%to%allow%the%panel’s%opinion%
(reported% at% 2014% WL% 4966557% (Oct.% 6,% 2014))% reversing% the%
district% court% to% stand,% without% consideration% of% the% case% by%
the%full%court,%is%a%serious%mistake.%
The%movement%in%a%number%of%states%including%Wiscon(
sin%to%require%voters%to%prove%eligibility%by%presenting%a%pho(
to%of%themselves%when%they%try%to%vote%has%placed%an%undue%
burden%on%the%right%to%vote,%a%right%that%the%Supreme%Court%
has%found%latent%in%the%Constitution.%E.g.,%Illinois'State'Board'
of'Elections'v.'Socialist'Workers'Party,%440%U.S.%173,%184%(1979).%
The%photo%identification%voting%laws%also%raise%issues%under%
section%2%of%the%Voting%Rights%Act,%42%U.S.C.%§%1973(a),%which%
forbids% electoral% laws,% practices,% or% structures% that,%
interacting% with% social% and% historical% conditions,! deny% or%
abridge,%on%account%of%race%or%color,%a%citizen’s%right%to%vote.%
See,%e.g.,%Thornburg'v.'Gingles,%478%U.S.%30,%47%(1986).%
In% upholding% the% Wisconsin% photo% ID% law% in% the% face% of%
compelling% evidence% that% it% abridges% the% right% to% vote% with(
out% justification,% the% panel% opinion% places% particular% weight%
4% % Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059%
%

on%the%Supreme%Court’s%decision%in%Crawford'v.'Marion'CounG
ty'Election'Board,%553%U.S.%181%(2008).%Affirming%a%decision%by%
this% court,% see% 472% F.3d% 949% (7th% Cir.% 2007),% the% Supreme%
Court% upheld% an% Indiana% law% requiring% photo% identification%
of%voters.%The%panel%calls%Wisconsin’s%law%“similar.”%It%would%
be%more%accurate%to%say%that%the%laws%belong%to%the%same%gen(
re,% namely% strict% photo% ID% voter% eligibility% laws.% The% two%
states’% laws% are% importantly% dissimilar,% not% only% in% their%
terms% but% in% the% evidentiary% records% of% the% two% cases.% Alt(
hough%in%Crawford%as%in%this%case%the%record%contained%no%ev(
idence% of% in(person% voter% impersonation% at% polling% places%
“actually% occurring% in% Indiana% at% any% time,”% there% had% been%
scattered% instances% of% such% fraud% in% recent% American% elec(
tions.%553%U.S.%at%195–96.%And%there%was%no%evidence%that%the%
Indiana%law%was%likely%to%disenfranchise%more%than%a%handful%
of% voters.% Given% the% record,% the% Supreme% Court% was% unwill(
ing% “to% perform% a% unique% balancing% analysis% that% looks% spe(
cifically% at% a% small% number% of% voters% who% may% experience% a%
special% burden% under% the% statute% and% weights% their% burdens%
against% the% State’s% broad% interests% in% protecting% election% in(
tegrity,”%especially%since%“on%the%basis%of%the%evidence%in%the%
record% it% is% not% possible% to% quantify% either% the% magnitude% of%
the% burden% on% this% narrow% class% of% voters% or% the% portion% of%
the%burden%imposed%on%them%that%is%fully%justified.”%Id.%at%200.%
Judge%Evans,%dissenting%from%our%decision%in%Crawford,%called%
the% Indiana% law% “a% not(too(thinly(veiled% attempt% to% discour(
age% election(day% turnout% by% certain% folks% believed% to% skew%
Democratic.”% 472% F.3d% at% 954.% But% he% cited% no% evidence% to%
support%his%conjecture—a%conjecture%that%now%seems%presci(
ent,%however.%
Crawford% was% decided% by% the% Supreme% Court% almost% six%
and%a%half%years%ago,%on%the%basis%of%the%evidence%presented%
Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059% 5%
%

in% that% case% and% the% particulars% of% the% Indiana% statute.% The%
decision%does%not%resolve%the%present%case,%which%involves%a%
different%statute%and%has%a%different%record%and%arises%against%
a% background% of% a% changed% political% culture% in% the% United%
States.%It%is%a%disservice%to%a%court%to%apply%its%precedents%to%
dissimilar% circumstances.% Crawford% dealt% with% a% particular%
statute%and%a%particular%evidentiary%record.%The%statute%at%is(
sue%in%this%case%has%different%terms%and%the%case%challenging%
it% a% different% record,% the% terms% and% the% record% having% been%
unknown%to%either%our%court%(affirmed%by%the%Supreme%Court%
in%Crawford)%or%the%Supreme%Court.%
The% panel% opinion% recognizes% that% there% are% differences%
between% the% two% statutes% and% the% two% records,% but% does% not%
recognize% the% significance% of% the% differences.% The% Indiana%
statute% challenged% in% Crawford% was% less% restrictive% than% the%
Wisconsin% statute% challenged% in% this% case.% Indiana% accepts%
any% Indiana% or% U.S.% government(issued% ID% that% includes%
name,% photo,% and% expiration% date.% Wisconsin’s% statute% per(
mits% voters% to% use% only% a% Wisconsin% drivers’% license% or% Wis(
consin% state% card,% a% military% or% tribal% ID% card,% a% passport,% a%
naturalization%certificate%if%issued%within%two%years,%a%student%
ID% (so% long% as% it% contains% the% student’s% signature,% the% card’s%
expiration%date,%and%proof%that%the%student%really%is%enrolled%
in% a% school),% or% an% unexpired% receipt% from% a% drivers’% li(
cense/ID% application.% Wisconsin% does% not% recognize% military%
veteran%IDs,%student%ID%cards%without%a%signature,%and%other%
government(issued%IDs%that%satisfy%Indiana’s%criteria.%%
Indiana’s%statute%does%not%require%absentee%voters%to%pre(
sent%photo%identification,%and%permits%voters%to%vote%absentee%
if%they%expect%to%be%absent%from%their%district%on%election%day,%
are% older% than% 65,% can’t% vote% in% person% because% of% illness% or%
6% % Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059%
%

injury%or%are%caring%for%someone%with%an%illness%or%an%injury,%
are% scheduled% to% work% during% the% 12(hour% period% in% which%
the%polls%are%open,%are%members%of%the%military,%are%celebrat(
ing% a% religious% holiday,% or% are% in% the% state’s% “address% confi(
dentiality”%program%(victims%of%domestic%violence,%for%exam(
ple).%Thus,%many%people%who%might%find%it%difficult%to%obtain%
photo% identification% can% vote% absentee% and% are% therefore% ex(
cused%from%having%to%present%a%photo%ID.%Wisconsin,%in%con(
trast,%requires%absentee%voters%to%submit%a%photo%ID%the%first%
time%they%request%an%absentee%ballot,%and%in%subsequent%elec(
tions%as%well%if%they%change%their%address%or%are%required%to%
re(register% to% vote,% or% if% they% change% their% name,% as% many%
women% still% do% upon% marrying.% A% recent% national% survey%
found%that%
millions% of% American% citizens% do% not% have% readily%
available% documentary% proof% of% citizenship.% Many%
more—primarily% women(((do% not% have% proof% of% citi(
zenship% with% their% current% name.% The% survey% also%
showed%that%millions%of%American%citizens%do%not%have%
government(issued% photo% identification,% such% as% a%
driver’s%license%or%passport.%Finally,%the%survey%demon(
strated% that% certain% groups—primarily% poor,% elderly,%
and% minority% citizens—are% less% likely% to% possess% these%
forms%of%documentation%than%the%general%population.%

Brennan%Center%for%Justice,%“Citizens%Without%Proof:%A%Sur(
vey%of%Americans’%Possession%of%Documentary%Proof%of%Citi(
zenship%and%Photo%Identification,”%www.brennancenter.org/
sites/default/files/legacy/d/download_file_39242.pdf% (visited%
October%8,%2014,%as%were%the%other%websites%cited%in%this%opin(
ion).%
Wisconsin’s%statutory%exceptions%to%the%requirement%that%
one%must%have%a%photo%ID%to%be%permitted%to%vote,%which%are%
Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059% 7%
%

more% limited% than% those% recognized% by% the% Indiana% law,% in(
clude%members%of%the%military,%overseas%voters%who%have%no%
intention% of% ever% returning% to% live% in% the% United% States,% par(
ticipants% in% the% state’s% confidentiality% program,% and% voters%
who% being% infirm% or% disabled% are% indefinitely% confined% to%
their%homes%or%to%care%facilities.%%
The%Indiana%statute%permits%voters%without%a%photo%ID%to%
cast% a% provisional% ballot% and% within% ten% days% after% the% elec(
tion%present%a%photo%ID%to%a%circuit%court%clerk’s%office;%indi(
gent% voters% unable% to% procure% a% photo% ID% by% that% deadline%
can,% by% executing% an% affidavit% confirming% their% identity% and%
indigence,%have%their%ballots%counted.%Wisconsin%has%no%pro(
vision%for%indigent%voters.%It%does%permit%voters%to%cast%a%pro(
visional%ballot%and%later%supply%a%photo%ID,%but%requires%that%
they%do%so%by%the%Friday%after%the%election,%which%gives%them%
just% three% days% to% comply% in% national% elections,% since% such%
elections%are%always%held%on%Tuesdays.%
These% are% not% trivial% differences% between% the% two% stat(
utes.%
The% panel% opinion% cites% the% recommendation% of% the%
Commission%on%Federal%Election%Reform,%Building'Confidence'
in'U.S.'Elections'18%(2005),%that%photo%IDs%be%required%for%vot(
ing,%but%omits%the%Commission’s%statement%that%they%“should%
be% easily% available% and% issued% free% of% charge,”% id.' at% 19,% and%
its% recommendation% that% states% should% “play% an% affirmative%
role%in%reaching%out%to%non(drivers%by%providing%more%offic(
es,% including% mobile% ones,% to% …% provide% photo% IDs% free% of%
charge,”%and%allow%“voters%who%do%not%have%a%photo%ID%dur(
ing%a%transitional%period%[to]%receive%a%provisional%ballot%that%
would%be%counted%if%their%signature%is%verified.”%Id.%at%iv.%
8% % Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059%
%

I%turn%now%to%the%evidence%in%the%respective%cases.%In%our%
Crawford% opinion% we% pointed% out! that% none% of% the% plaintiffs%
claimed%that%they%wouldn’t%vote%in%the%upcoming%election%be(
cause%of%the%photo%ID%law.%“No%doubt%there%are%at%least%a%few%
such% people% in% Indiana,% but% the% inability% of% the% sponsors% of%
this% litigation% to% find% any% such% person% to% join% as% a% plaintiff%
suggests% that% the% motivation% for% the% suit% is% simply% that% the%
law%may%require%the%Democratic%party%…%to%work%harder%to%
get%every%last%one%of%their%supporters%to%the%polls.”%472%F.2d%
at% 952;% see% also% the% Supreme% Court’s% plurality% opinion,% 533%
U.S.%at%187.%In%the%present%case,%in%contrast,%eight%persons%tes(
tified%that%they%want%to%vote%in%the%November%4%election!but!
have% been% unable% to% obtain% the% required% identification.% In%
Crawford%it%was%estimated%that%about%43,000%Indiana%residents%
lacked%the%requisite%identification,%which%was%1%percent%of%the%
state’s%voting%population,%while%in%this%case%the%district%court%
found% that% 300,000% registered% voters—9% percent% of% all% regis(
tered% voters% in% Wisconsin—lack% qualifying% identification.%
Many%of%them%also%lack%the%documents%they’d%need%in%order%
to% obtain% a% photo% ID,% or% face% other% impediments% to% getting%
one% but% are% not% within% the% narrow% band% of% voters% excused%
from% having% to% present% a% photo% ID% when% voting.% According%
to% an% expert% witness,% at% least% 20,162% eligible% voters% in% Mil(
waukee% County% alone% possess% neither% a% photo% ID% nor% the%
documents% they% would% need% to% obtain% one.% And% in% the% dis(
trict%court’s%words%a%“substantial%number%of%the%300,000%plus%
eligible%voters%who%lack%a%photo%ID%are%low(income%individ(
uals%…%who%have%encountered%obstacles%that%have%prevented%
or%deterred%them%from%obtaining%a%photo%ID.”%
The%panel%was%literally%correct%that%the%district%court%“did%
not%find%that%substantial%numbers%of%persons%eligible%to%vote%
have%tried%to%get%a%photo%ID%but%been%unable%to%do%so,”%but%its%
Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059% 9%
%

literalism% missed% the% point.% To% encounter% “obstacles% that%
have%prevented%or%deterred”%persons%from%obtaining%a%photo%
ID%means%either%having%tried%but%failed%to%obtain%a%photo%ID%
or% having% realized% that% (for% these% persons)% the% obstacles% to%
obtaining% it% were% insurmountable,% so% there% would% be% no%
point%in%trying%to%overcome%them.%
The% district% court’s% opinion% presented% a% litany% of% the%
practical% obstacles% that% many% Wisconsinites% (particularly%
members%of%racial%and%linguistic%minorities)%face%in%obtaining%
a% photo% ID% if% they% need% one% in% order% to% be% able% to% vote% be(
cause%they%don’t%have%a%driver’s%license:%
The% first% obstacle% to% obtaining% an% ID% will% be% to%
identify% the% requirements% for% obtaining% a% free% state%
ID% card.% I% am% able% to% summarize% the% requirements%
for% obtaining% an% ID% because% I% have% access% to% the%
Wisconsin% Statutes% and% Administrative% Code% and%
heard%testimony%on%the%topic%at%trial.%A%typical%voter%
who% needs% an% ID,% however,% must% educate% him% or%
herself% on% these% requirements% in% some% other% way.%
Although%this%may%be%easy%for%some,%for%others,%es(
pecially%those%with%lower%levels%of%education,%it%will%
be%harder.%Moreover,%a%person%who%needs%to%obtain%
one%or%more%of%the%required%documents%to%obtain%an%
ID,% such% as% a% birth% certificate,% must% determine% not%
only% the% DMV’s% documentation% requirements,% but%
also% the% requirements% of% the% agency% that% issues% the%
missing%document.%This%adds%a%layer%of%complexity%
to%the%process.%…%
Assuming%the%person%is%able%to%determine%what%
he% or% she% needs% to% do% to% obtain% an% ID,% the% person%
must% next% consider% the% time% and% effort% involved% in%
actually% obtaining% the% ID.% This% will% involve% at% least%
one% trip% to% the% DMV% [Department% of% Motor% Vehi(
10% % Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059%
%

cles].%There%are%92%DMV%service%centers%in%the%state.%
All%but%two%of%these%close%before%5:00%p.m.%and%only%
one% is% open% on% weekends.% So,% it% is% likely% that% the%
person% will% have% to% take% time% off% from% work.% The%
person% will% either% need% to% use% vacation% time% if% it’s%
available%or%forego%the%hourly%wages%that%he%or%she%
could%have%earned%in%the%time%it%takes%to%obtain%the%
ID.% …% The% person% will% also% have% to% arrange% for%
transportation.% Since% this% person% does% not% have% a%
driverns%license%and%is%low%income,%most%likely%he%or%
she% must% use% public% transportation% or% arrange% for%
another%form%of%transportation.%…%Further,%for%some%
individuals%public%transportation%will%be%of%no%help%
because%not%all%of%the%DMV’s%service%centers%are%ac(
cessible%by%public%transit.%
If% the% person% does% not% have% all% of% the% docu(
ments% the% DMV% requires% to% obtain% an% ID,% then% the%
person% will% most% likely% have% to% visit% at% least% one%
government%agency%in%addition%to%the%DMV.%If%that%
is%the%case,%then%the%person%will%likely%have%to%take%
even% more% time% off% of% work% and% pay% additional%
transportation% costs.% …% Perhaps% it% is% possible% for% a%
person%to%obtain%a%missing%underlying%document%by%
mail,%but%even%so%that%will%require%time%and%effort.%
A%person%who%needs%to%obtain%a%missing%under(
lying%document%is%also%likely%to%have%to%pay%a%fee%for%
the%document.%For%some%low(income%individuals,%it%
will%be%difficult%to%pay%even%$20.00%for%a%birth%certif(
icate.%…%
An% additional% problem% is% whether% a% person%
who%lacks%an%ID%can%obtain%one%in%time%to%use%it%to%
vote.%For%many%who%need%an%ID,%it%will%take%longer%
than% a% day% or% two% to% gather% the% necessary% docu(
ments%and%make%a%trip%to%the%DMV.%Indeed,%if%a%per(
Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059% 11%
%

son% needs% to% obtain% a% birth% certificate,% especially%
from%another%state,%it%might%take%weeks%or%longer%to%
obtain% it.% If% an% election% is% imminent,% a% person% may%
be%unable%to%procure%an%ID%in%time%to%vote%or%to%val(
idate% a% provisional% ballot% by% the% Friday% after% the%
election.%
Another% problem% that% arises% is% a% person’s% hav(
ing% errors% or% discrepancies% in% the% documents% need(
ed%to%obtain%an%ID.%For%example,%the%DMV%requires%
the% name% on% a% personns% social% security% card% and%
birth% certificate% to% match.% If% there% is% an% error% in% a%
person’s%social%security%record,%the%person%must%vis(
it%the%Social%Security%Office%and%correct%the%record.%If%
there% is% an% error% in% a% person’s% birth% certificate,% the%
person% must% get% it% amended.% Making% additional%
trips% to% government% agencies% to% resolve% discrepan(
cies%will%require%more%time%off%work%and%additional%
transportation%costs.%

Frank' v.' Walker,% 2014% WL% 1775432,% at% *14–16% (E.D.% Wis.% Apr.%
29,%2014)%(citations%and%footnotes%omitted).%
In%upholding%the%Indiana%statute,%both%our%Crawford%opin(
ion%and%the%Supreme%Court’s%plurality%opinion%noted%that%In(
diana%voter%rolls%were%substantially%inflated—they%contained%
1.3% million% more% names% than% there% were% eligible% voters.% The%
Supreme% Court% also% cited% a% report% by% the% Commission% on%
Federal%Election%Reform%which%stated%that%although%“there%is%
no% evidence% of% extensive% fraud% in% U.S.% elections% or% of% multi(
ple%voting%…%both%occur,%and%it%could%affect%the%outcome%of%a%
close% election.% …% Photo% [identification% cards]% currently% are%
needed%to%board%a%plane,%enter%federal%buildings,%and%cash%a%
check.% Voting% is% equally% important.”% 553% U.S.% at% 194.% (We’ll%
see,%by%the%way,%that%the%Commission’s%statement%that%“photo%
12% % Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059%
%

[identification% cards]% currently% are% needed% to% board% a% plane,%
enter%federal%buildings,%and%cash%a%check”%is%for%the%most%part%
no%longer%true.)!
There% is% no% evidence% that% Wisconsin’s% voter% rolls% are% in(
flated,% as% were% Indiana’s—and% there% is% compelling% evidence%
that% voter(impersonation% fraud% is% essentially% nonexistent% in%
Wisconsin.%“The%[state]%could%not%point%to%a%single%instance%of%
known% voter% impersonation% occurring% in% Wisconsin% at% any%
time% in% the% recent% past.”% Frank' v.' Walker,% supra,% at% *6.% There%
are% more% than% 660,000% eligible% voters% in% Milwaukee% County.%
According% to% the% state’s% own% evidence,% in% only% one% or% two%
instances% per% major% election% in% which% a% voter% in% Milwaukee%
County%is%turned%away%from%the%polls%because%a%poll%worker%
tells% him% he’s% voted% already% is% there% even% a% suspicion—
unconfirmed—of%fraud.%An%expert%witness%who%studied%Wis(
consin%elections%that%took%place%in%2004,%2008,%2010,%and%2012%
found%zero%cases%of%in(person%voter(impersonation%fraud.%
It%is%important%to%bear%in%mind%that%requiring%a%photo%ID%
is% ineffectual% against% other% forms% of% voter% fraud,% of% which%
there% are% many.% Here% is% a% nonexhaustive% list% (from% Voter%
Fraud% Facts,% “Types% of% Voter% Fraud,”% http://voterfraudfacts.
com/typesofvoterfraud.php%(emphases%omitted)):%
Electorate% Manipulation! Including% Manipulation% of%
Demography%and%Disenfranchisement;!
Intimidation! Including% Violence% or% the% Threat% of% Vio(
lence,% Attacks% on% Polling% Places,% Legal% Threats% and%
Economic%Threats;!
Vote%Buying;!!
Misinformation;%
Misleading%or%Confusing%Ballot%Papers;%
Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059% 13%
%

Ballot%Stuffing;%
Misrecording%of%Votes;%
Misuse%of%Proxy%Votes;%
Destruction%or%Invalidation%of%Ballots;%
Tampering%with%Electronic%Voting%Machine.%

Voter(impersonation% fraud% may% be% a% subset% of% “Misin(
formation.”% If% so,% it% is% by% all% accounts% a% tiny% subset,% a% tiny%
problem,%and%a%mere%fig%leaf%for%efforts%to%disenfranchise%vot(
ers%likely%to%vote%for%the%political%party%that%does%not%control%
the%state%government.%Those%of%us%who%live%in%Illinois%are%fa(
miliar%with%a%variety%of%voting%frauds,%and%no%one%would%de(
ny%the%propriety%of%the%law’s%trying%to%stamp%out%such%frauds.%
The% one% form% of% voter% fraud% known% to% be% too% rare% to% justify%
limiting%voters’%ability%to%vote%by%requiring%them%to%present%a%
photo% ID% at% the% polling% place% is% in(person% voter% impersona(
tion.%
The%panel%opinion%states%that%requiring%a%photo%ID%might%
at%least%prevent%persons%who%“are%too%young%or%are%not%citi(
zens”% from% voting.% Not% so.% State(issued% IDs% are% available% to%
noncitizens,% Wis.% Adm.% Code% §% Trans.% 102.15(2)(bm)—all%
that’s% required% is% proof% of% “legal% presence% in% the% United%
States”;% a% noncitizen% who% is% a% permanent% resident% of% the%
United%States%needs%only%a%copy%of%his%foreign%passport%and%
appropriate%immigration%documents%to%obtain%a%photo%ID.%A%
student% ID% must% (to% entitle% the% bearer% to% vote)% be% accompa(
nied%by%proof%of%enrollment%and%contain%the%student’s%signa(
ture%and%date%of%issuance,%but%need%not%include%date%of%birth.%
Wis.%Stat.%§%5.02(6m)(f).%
Another%erroneous%statement%in%the%panel%opinion%is%that%
requiring%a%photo%ID%could%help%“promote[]%accurate%record(
14% % Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059%
%

keeping% (so% that% people% who% have% moved% after% the% date% of%
registration%do%not%vote%in%the%wrong%precinct).”%Wisconsin’s%
photo% ID% law% has% nothing% to% do% with% voting% in% the% correct%
precinct.%According%to%testimony%by%the%director%and%general%
counsel%of%the%Wisconsin%Government%Accountability%Board,%
the%address%on%a%voter’s%ID%does%not%have%to%match%his%or%her%
voting%address.%
We% can% learn% something% both% about% the% significance% of%
voter(impersonation% fraud% and% the% likely% motivation% for% the%
Wisconsin%statute%from%a%report%by%the%National%Conference%
of% State% Legislatures,% Voter' Identification' Requirements'|'Voter'
ID'Laws,%www.ncsl.org/research/elections(and(campaigns/vo
ter(id.aspx.%The%report%was%issued%on%September%12th%of%this%
year%and%thus%covers%all%requirements%applicable%to%the%forth(
coming%November%election.%
We% learn% from% the% report% that% 32% states% require% voters% to%
present%some%form%of%identification%at%the%polling%station%but%
that% of% these% only% 17% require% photo% identification.% The% other%
15%usually%will%accept%a%utility%bill,%a%non(photo%ID,%or%some%
other%document%that%includes%the%voter’s%name%and%address.%
The%32%states%also%differ%in%the%strictness%with%which%the%iden(
tification% requirement% is% enforced.% The% report% classifies% as%
“strict”%those%12%states,%including%Wisconsin,%that%require%the%
voter%to%show%identification%before%a%ballot%will%be%counted%at%
the%polling%place,%or%to%cast%a%provisional%ballot%and%take%ad(
ditional%steps,%such%as%presenting%acceptable%ID%at%a%board%of%
elections%office%within%a%specified%period%after%election%day.%
According%to%the%report,%only%9%states,%including%Wiscon(
sin,%impose%strict%photo%identification%requirements.%The%oth(
er%states%permit%at%least%some%voters%to%cast%a%ballot%without%
necessarily% requiring% any% further% action% on% the% part% of% the%
Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059% 15%
%

voter%after%election%day%for%a%vote%to%be%counted.%Instead,%the(
se%states%may,%for%example,%require%the%voter%to%sign%an%affi(
davit,%or%a%poll%worker%to%vouch%for%the%voter.%
The%data%are%summarized%in%the%following%table%and%map.%
TABLE!1%
Voter!Identification!Laws!in!Force!in!2014!
% Photo%ID% Non(Photo%ID%
Strict%% Arkansas% Tennessee% Arizona% %
Georgia% Texas% North%Dakota%
Indiana% Virginia% Ohio%
Kansas% Wisconsin!
Mississippi%
Non( Alabama% Louisiana% Alaska% Montana%
Strict%% Florida% Michigan% Colorado% New%Hampshire%
Hawaii% Rhode%Island% Connecticut% Oklahoma%
Idaho% South%Dakota% Delaware% South%Carolina%
Kentucky% Utah%
Missouri% Washington%
%
%
16% % Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059%
%

%

%
%
%

% All%the%strict%photo%ID%states%are%politically%conservative,%
at% least% at% the% state% level,% as% are% five% of% the% eight% non(strict%
photo% ID% states% (all% but% Hawaii,% Michigan,% and% Rhode% Is(
land).% Table% 2% provides% specifics% on% the% political% makeup% of%
the%governments%of%the%nine%strict%photo%ID%states%at%the%time%
their%photo%ID%laws%were%enacted.%
%
%
Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059% 17%
%

TABLE!2!
STATES!WITH!STRICT!PHOTO!ID!LAWS—POLITICAL!MAKEUP!
WHEN!THE!LAWS!WERE!ADOPTED%
!
Arkansas:% Democratic% governor,% but% both% the% House%
and%Senate%were%under%Republican%control.%
Georgia:% Republican% governor,% Republican% control% of%
both%the%House%and%Senate.%
Indiana:! Republican% governor,% Republican% control% of%
both%the%House%and%Senate.%
Kansas:! Republican% governor,% Republican% control% of%
both%the%House%and%Senate.%
Mississippi:% Adopted% by% the% voters% through% a% ballot%
initiative.% Republicans,% who% already% controlled% the%
governorship% and% the% state% Senate,% won% a% majority% of%
seats%in%the%House%in%that%same%election.%%
Tennessee:! Republican% governor,% Republican% control%
of%both%the%House%and%Senate.%
Texas:% Republican% governor,% Republican% control% of%
both%the%House%and%Senate.%
Virginia:% Republican% governor,% Republican% control% of%
both%the%House%and%Senate.%
Wisconsin:% Republican% governor,% Republican% control%
of%both%the%House%and%Senate.!

The%basic%pattern%holds%for%the%three%strict%non(photo%ID%
states.!Arizona%adopted%such%a%law%by%initiative%in%2004,%at%a%
time%when%the%state%had%a%Democratic%governor%but%the%Re(
publicans% controlled% both% houses% of% the% state% legislature% (as%
they% have% between% 1993% and% 2013,% except% for% a% brief% period%
between% 2001% and% 2002% when% the% senate% was% evenly% divid(
ed).%Both%North%Dakota%and%Ohio%had%Republican%governors,%
and% Republicans% controlled% both% houses% of% the% legislatures,%
when%those%states’%strict%ID%statutes%were%enacted.%%
18% % Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059%
%

The% 12% non(strict% non(photo% ID% states% are% also% predomi(
nantly% conservative;% only% 4% are% liberal% (Connecticut,% Dela(
ware,% New% Hampshire,% and% Washington).% Of% the% 18% states%
that%don’t%require%identification,%about%half%are%liberal.%
The%data%imply%that%a%number%of%conservative%states%try%
to% make% it% difficult% for% people% who% are% outside% the% main(
stream,%whether%because%of%poverty%or%race%or%problems%with%
the%English%language,%or%who%are%unlikely%to%have%a%driver’s%
license%or%feel%comfortable%dealing%with%officialdom,%to%vote,%
and%that%liberal%states%try%to%make%it%easy%for%such%people%to%
vote%because%if%they%do%vote%they%are%likely%to%vote%for%Demo(
cratic%candidates.%Were%matters%as%simple%as%this%there%would%
no% compelling% reason% for% judicial% intervention;% it% would% be%
politics%as%usual.%But%actually%there’s%an%asymmetry.%There%is%
evidence% both% that% voter(impersonation% fraud% is% extremely%
rare%and%that%photo%ID%requirements%for%voting,%especially%of%
the%strict%variety%found%in%Wisconsin,%are%likely%to%discourage%
voting.%This%implies%that%the%net%effect%of%such%requirements%
is% to% impede% voting% by% people% easily% discouraged% from% vot(
ing,%most%of%whom%probably%lean%Democratic.%
% Some% of% the% “evidence”% of% voter(impersonation% fraud% is%
downright% goofy,% if% not% paranoid,% such% as% the% nonexistent%
buses% that% according% to% the% “True% the% Vote”% movement%
transport%foreigners%and%reservation%Indians%to%polling%plac(
es.% See% Stephanie% Saul,% “Looking,% Very% Closely,% for% Voter%
Fraud:%Conservative%Groups%Focus%on%Registration%in%Swing%
States,”% Sept.% 16,% 2012,% www.nytimes.com/2012/09/17/us/
politics/groups(like(true(the(vote(are(looking(very(closely(
for(voter(fraud.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0.%Even%Fox%News,%
whose%passion%for%conservative%causes%has%never%been%ques(
tioned,%acknowledges%that%“Voter%ID%Laws%Target%Rarely%Oc(
Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059% 19%
%

curring% Voter% Fraud,”% Sept.% 24,% 2011,% www.foxnews.com/
politics/2011/09/24/voter(id(laws(target(rarely(occurring(vot
er(fraud,%noting%that%“even%supporters%of%the%new%[photo%ID]%
laws% are% hard% pressed% to% come% up% with% large% numbers% of%
cases%in%which%someone%tried%to%vote%under%a%false%identify.”%
Elsewhere% we% learn% that% “even% though% voter% identifica(
tion% laws% were% being% touted% as% necessary% to% prevent% in(
person% voter% fraud,% repeated% investigations% of% these% allega(
tions% show% that% there% is% virtually% no% in(person% voter% fraud%
nationally.% A% study% of% 2,068% alleged% cases% conducted% by% the%
News21% journalism% consortium% found% that% since% 2000% there%
have%been%only%ten%cases%of%in(person%voter%fraud%that%could%
have% been% prevented% by% photo% ID% laws.% Out% of% 146% million%
registered%voters,%this%is%a%ratio%of%one%case%of%voter%fraud%for%
every% 14.6% million% eligible% voters—more% than% a% dozen% times%
less% likely% than% being% struck% by% lightning.”% Richard% Sobel,%
“The%High%Cost%of%‘Free’%Photo%Voter%Identification%Cards”%7%
(Charles%Hamilton%Houston%Institute%for%Race%&%Justice,%Har(
vard%Law%School,%June%2014),%www.charleshamiltonhouston.
org/wp(content/uploads/2014/08/FullReportVoterIDJune201
4.pdf%(footnotes%omitted).%
And%think:%voting%is%a%low(reward%activity%for%any%given%
individual,%for%he%or%she%knows%that%elections%are%not%decided%
by%one%vote.%When%the%rewards%for%an%activity%are%low,%even%a%
modest%cost%of%engaging%in%it%is%a%potent%discourager.%Think%
too%of%the%risks%to%politicians%of%orchestrating%a%massive%cam(
paign% of% voter(impersonation% fraud,% since% only% a% massive%
campaign%will%increase%a%candidate’s%vote%total%by%enough%to%
swing%all%but%the%very%closest%elections,%and%massive%election%
fraud%could%result%in%heavy%punishment%of%the%orchestrators.%
Besides% the% risks% to% the% politicians,% think% of% how% much% it%
20% % Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059%
%

would% cost% to% orchestrate% an% effective% voter(impersonation%
fraud,%given%the%number%of%voters%who%must%be%bribed,%and%
in%amounts%generous%enough%to%overcome%their%fear%of%being%
detected,%and%if%detected%prosecuted.%
M.V.% Hood% III% and% William% Gillespie,% in% their% article%
“They%Just%Do%Not%Vote%Like%They%Used%To:%A%Methodology%
to% Empirically% Assess% Election% Fraud,”% 93% Social' Sci.' Q.% 76%
(2012),% find% that% “after% examining% approximately% 2.1% million%
votes% cast% during% the% 2006% general% election% in% Georgia,% we%
find% no% evidence% that% election% fraud% was% committed% under%
the% auspices% of% deceased% registrants.”% Co(author% Hood% was%
the%State%of%Wisconsin’s%expert%witness%in%the%present%case—
and%testified%that%Georgia’s%voter%ID%law%indeed%“had%the%ef(
fect%of%suppressing%turnout.”%
Keith%G.%Bentele%and%Erin%E.%O’Brien,%in%their%article%“Jim%
Crow%2.0?%Why%States%Consider%and%Adopt%Restrictive%Voter%
Access% Policies,”% 11% Perspectives' on' Politics% 1088% (2013),% pre(
sent% evidence% that% restrictive% voter% access% policies% such% as%
photo%ID%requirements%are%indeed,%as%we%noted%earlier,%high(
ly% correlated% with% a% state’s% having% a% Republican% governor%
and% Republican% control% of% the% legislature% and% appear% to% be%
aimed% at% limiting% voting% by% minorities,% particularly% blacks.%
And%Lorraine%C.%Minnite,%in%her%book%The'Myth'of'Voter'Fraud%
(2010),% bases% her% conclusion% that% voter(impersonation% fraud%
is%rare%on%the%small%number%of%federal%criminal%prosecutions%
for% election% fraud,% despite% evidence% that% such% crimes% have%
been%an%enforcement%priority%for%the%Justice%Department,%and%
on% an% investigation% of% complaints% of% election% fraud% in% four%
states%(California,%Minnesota,%New%Hampshire,%and%Oregon),%
finding%that%few%of%the%complaints%involved%voter%impersona(
tion.%
Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059% 21%
%

Consider%now%the%other%side%of%the%balance—the%effect%of%
strict% voter% ID% laws% on% lawful% turnout.% The% panel% opinion%
does%not%discuss%the%cost%of%obtaining%a%photo%ID.%It%assumes%
the% cost% is% negligible.% That’s% an% easy% assumption% for% federal%
judges%to%make,%since%we%are%given%photo%IDs%by%court%securi(
ty% free% of% charge.% And% we% have% upper(middle(class% salaries.%
Not% everyone% is% so% fortunate.% It’s% been% found% that% “the% ex(
penses% [of% obtaining% a% photo% ID]% for% documentation,% travel,%
and% waiting% time% are% significant—especially% for% minority%
groups% and% low(income% voters—typically% ranging% from%
about%$75%to%$175.%…%Even%when%adjusted%for%inflation,%these%
figures% represent% substantially% greater% costs% than% the% $1.50%
poll% tax% outlawed% by% the% 24th% amendment% in% 1964.”% Sobel,%
supra,%at%2.%
The%panel%opinion%suggests%that%obtaining%a%photo%ID%to%
vote%can’t%be%a%big%deal,%because%one%needs%a%photo%ID%to%fly.%
That’s%a%common%misconception.%See%Transportation%Security%
Administration,%Acceptable'IDs,%www.tsa.gov/traveler(inform
ation/acceptable(ids.% Since,% despite% the% 9/11% attacks% that%
killed% thousands,% a% photo% ID% is% not% considered% essential% to%
airline%safety,%it%seems%beyond%odd%that%it%should%be%consid(
ered%essential%to%electoral%validity.%
The%panel%piles%error%on%error%by%stating%that%“photo%ID%
is% essential% [not% only]% to% board% an% airplane% …% [but% also% to]%
pick% up% a% prescription% at% a% pharmacy,% open% a% bank% ac(
count…,%,%buy%a%gun,%or%enter%a%courthouse%to%serve%as%a%juror%
or%watch%the%argument%of%this%appeal.”%In%35%states,%including%
Wisconsin,% you% don’t% need% a% photo% ID% to% pick% up% all% pre(
scriptions.%Centers%for%Disease%Control%and%Prevention,'Law:'
Requiring' Patient' Identification' Before' Dispensing,% www.
cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/Poisoning/laws/id_req.h
22% % Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059%
%

tml.%Bank%customers%do%not%need%a%photo%ID%to%open%a%bank%
account.%U.S.%Dept.%of%the%Treasury,%Office%of%the%Comptrol(
ler%of%the%Currency,%Answers'&'Solutions;'Answers'About'IdenG
tification,% www.helpwithmybank.gov/get(answers/bank(acco
unts/identification/faq(bank(accounts(identification(02.html.%
Federal%law%does%not%require%a%photo%ID%to%purchase%firearms%
at% gun% shows,% flea% markets,% or% online.% U.S.% Dept.% of% Justice,%
Office%of%the%Inspector%General,%Review'of'ATF’s'Project'GunG
runner% 10% (Nov.% 2010),% www.justice.gov/oig/reports/ATF/
e1101.pdf.% It’s% true% that% our% courthouse% requires% a% photo% ID%
to%enter,%but%the%Supreme%Court%requires%no%identification%at%
all%of%visitors.%
The% panel% does% say,% in% the% same% paragraph% of% its% opin(
ion,%that%it%“accept[s]%the%district%court’s%finding%[that%300,000%
registered% voters% lack% acceptable% photo% ID% in% Wisconsin]% in%
this% case,”% but% coming% after% a% recitation% that% mistakenly% im(
plies%that%one%can%do%virtually%nothing%in%this%society%without%
a% photo% ID,% the% implication% is% that% those% 300,000% have% only%
themselves%to%blame%for%not%being%allowed%to%vote.%
Robert% S.% Erikson% &% Lorraine% C.% Minnite,% “Modeling%
Problems% in% the% Voter% Identification—Voter% Turnout% De(
bate,”%8%Election'L.J.%85,%98%(2009),%notes%that%“recent%research%
…%strongly%suggests%that%strict%voter%ID%laws%will%negatively%
affect% certain% voters,% including% minorities,% at% least% in% the%
short(run,”%though%the%authors%acknowledge%doubt%about%the%
statistical%robustness%of%the%evidence.%A%study%by%R.%Michael%
Alvarez,% Delia% Bailey,% and% Johnathan% N.% Katz,% entitled% “The%
Effect% of% Voter% Identification% Laws% on% Turnout,”% California%
Institute%of%Technology,%Social%Science%Working%Paper%1267R%
(Jan.% 2008),% http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract
_id=1084598,% finds% that% ”the% strictest% forms% of% voter% identifi(
Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059% 23%
%

cation% requirements—combination% requirements% of% present(
ing%an%identification%card%and%positively%matching%one’s%sig(
nature%with%a%signature%either%on%file%or%on%the%identification%
card,% as% well% as% requirements% to% show% picture% identifica(
tion—have% a% negative% impact% on% the% participation% of% regis(
tered% voters% relative% to% the% weakest% requirement,% stating%
one’s% name.% We% also% find% evidence% that% the% stricter% voter%
identification% requirements% depress% turnout% to% a% greater% ex(
tent% for% less% educated% and% lower% income% populations,% for%
both%minorities%and%non(minorities.”%
The% aggregate% effect% of% strict% voter% identification% re(
quirements% in% depressing% turnout% does% not% appear% to% be%
huge—it% has% been% estimated% as% deterring% or% disqualifying% 2%
percent%of%otherwise%eligible%voters%(Nate%Silver,%“Measuring%
the%Effects%of%Voter%Identification%Laws,”%N.Y.'Times,%July%15,%
2012,% http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/me
asuring(the(effects(of(voter(identification(laws/).% But% obvi(
ously% the% effect,% if% felt% mainly% by% persons% inclined% to% favor%
one%party%(the%Democratic%Party,%favored%by%the%low(income%
and%minority%groups%whose%members%are%most%likely%to%have%
difficulty%obtaining%a%photo%ID),%can%be%decisive%in%close%elec(
tions.% The% effects% on% turnout% are% bound% to% vary,% however,%
from%state%to%state,%depending%on%the%strictness%of%a%state’s%ID%
requirements% for% voting% and% the% percentage% of% the% state’s%
population%that%lacks%the%required%ID.%Remember%that%at%the%
time% of% the% Crawford% case% only% 43,000% Indiana% residents%
lacked%the%required%identification;%330,000%registered%Wiscon(
sin% voters% lack% it—and% Wisconsin% has% a% smaller% population%
(5.7%million%versus%Indiana’s%6.5%million).%Hence%the%effects%of%
the%photo%ID%requirement%on%voter%suppression%are%likely%to%
be% much% greater% in% Wisconsin,% especially% since% as% we% saw%
earlier%its%law%is%stricter%than%Indiana’s.%
24% % Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059%
%

Stephen%Ansolabehere%&%Nathaniel%Persily,%“Vote%Fraud%
in%the%Eye%of%the%Beholder:%The%Role%of%Public%Opinion%in%the%
Challenge%to%Voter%Identification%Requirements,”%121%Harv.'L.'
Rev.% 1727% (2008),% finds% that% perceptions% of% voter(
impersonation% fraud% are% unrelated% to% the% strictness% of% a%
state’s%voter%ID%law.%This%suggests%that%these%laws%do%not%re(
duce% such% fraud,% for% if% they% did% one% would% expect% percep(
tions%of%its%prevalence%to%change.%The%study%also%undermines%
the% suggestion% in% the% panel’s% opinion% (offered% without% sup(
porting%evidence)%that%requiring%a%photo%ID%in%order%to%be%al(
lowed%to%vote%increases%voters’%confidence%in%the%honesty%of%
the%election,%and%thus%increases%turnout.%If%perceptions%of%the%
prevalence% of% voter(impersonation% fraud% are% unaffected% by%
the% strictness% of% a% state’s% photo% ID% laws,% neither% will% confi(
dence%in%the%honesty%of%elections%rise,%for%it%would%rise%only%if%
voters% were% persuaded% that% such% laws% reduce% the% incidence%
of%such%fraud.%
The%panel%opinion%dismisses%the%Absolabehere%and%Persi(
ly%article%on%the%ground%that%because%it%was%published%in%the%
Harvard' Law' Review,% it% was% not% peer(reviewed.% So% much% for%
law% reviews.% (And% what% about% Supreme% Court% opinions?%
They’re% not% peer(reviewed% either.)% Persily,% incidentally,% was%
chosen%to%be%Research%Director%for%the%Presidential%Commis(
sion% on% Election% Administration,% a% nonpartisan% body% co(
chaired% by% the% former% counsel% to% Governor% Romney’s,% and%
the% former% counsel% to% President% Obama’s,% 2012% presidential%
election%campaigns.%
The%studies%we’ve%cited%and%the%evidentiary%record%com(
piled%in%the%district%court%show%that%Wisconsin%is%wise%not%to%
argue%that%voter(impersonation%fraud%is%common%in%its%state.%
Instead% it% argues% that% such% fraud% is% uncommon% because% it’s%
Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059% 25%
%

deterred% by% the% statutory% requirement% of% having% a% photo% ID%
to%be%permitted%to%vote.%But%were%it%true%that%requiring%a%pho(
to% ID% is% necessary% to% deter% voter(impersonation% fraud,% then%
such% fraud% would% be% common—maybe% rampant—in% states%
that%do%not%require%a%photo%ID.%A%glance%back%at%Table%1%will%
reveal% that% 12% states% do% not% require% a% photo% ID% or% any% strict%
non(photo% substitute.% If% Wisconsin’s% deterrence% rationale% is%
sound,% we% should% expect% voter(impersonation% fraud% to% be%
common%in%those%states.%Wisconsin%does%not%argue%that,%and%
we%know%of%no%evidence%that%it%could%produce%in%support%of%
such%an%argument.%Nor%does%it%argue%that%there%is%something%
special% about% Wisconsin—some% unusual% compulsion% to% en(
gage% in% voter(impersonation% fraud% in% the% absence% of% strict%
photo% ID% requirements—that% would% make% the% experience% in%
the% 12% non(strict% non(photo% ID% states% irrelevant% to% the% likely%
effect%of%the%Wisconsin%law%in%deterring%(or%rather%not%deter(
ring)%voter(impersonation%fraud.%
Despite% the% absence% of% any% evidence% that% voter(
impersonation% fraud% is% an% actual% rather% than% an% invented%
problem,% whether% in% Wisconsin% or% elsewhere% in% the% United%
States,%the%panel%opinion%contends%that%requiring%a%photo%ID%
for%eligibility%to%vote%increases%“public%confidence%in%the%elec(
toral%system.”%The%emphasis%it%places%on%this%contention%sug(
gests%serious%doubt%by%the%panel%members%that%the%photo%ID%
law%actually%reduces%voter%impersonation.%But%there%is%no%ev(
idence%that%such%laws%promote%public%confidence%in%the%elec(
toral%system%either.%Were%there%such%evidence%it%would%imply%
a%massive%public%misunderstanding,%since%requiring%a%photo%
ID%in%order%to%be%permitted%to%vote%appears%to%have%no%effect%
on%election%fraud.%
26% % Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059%
%

The% panel% is% not% troubled% by% the% absence% of% evidence.% It%
deems% the% supposed% beneficial% effect% of% photo% ID% require(
ments%on%public%confidence%in%the%electoral%system%“’a%legis(
lative%fact’—a%proposition%about%the%state%of%the%world,”%and%
asserts% that% “on% matters% of% legislative% fact,% courts% accept% the%
findings%of%legislatures%and%judges%of%the%lower%courts%must%
accept% findings% by% the% Supreme% Court.”% In% so% saying,% the%
panel% conjures% up% a% fact(free% cocoon% in% which% to% lodge% the%
federal% judiciary.% As% there% is% no% evidence% that% voter(
impersonation% fraud% is% a% problem,% how% can% the% fact% that% a%
legislature%says%it’s%a%problem%turn%it%into%one?%If%the%Wiscon(
sin% legislature% says% witches% are% a% problem,% shall% Wisconsin%
courts% be% permitted% to% conduct% witch% trials?% If% the% Supreme%
Court% once% thought% that% requiring% photo% identification% in(
creases% public% confidence% in% elections,% and% experience% and%
academic%study%since%shows%that%the%Court%was%mistaken,%do%
we% do% a% favor% to% the% Court—do% we% increase% public% confi(
dence%in%elections—by%making%the%mistake%a%premise%of%our%
decision?%Pressed%to%its%logical%extreme%the%panel’s%interpre(
tation%of%and%deference%to%legislative%facts%would%require%up(
holding%a%photo%ID%voter%law%even%if%it%were%uncontested%that%
the%law%eliminated%no%fraud%but%did%depress%turnout%signifi(
cantly.%
The%concept%of%a%legislative%fact%comes%into%its%own%when%
there% is% no% reason% to% believe% that% certain% facts% pertinent% to% a%
case%vary%from%locality%to%locality,%or%from%person%to%person;%
a%typical%definition%of%legislative%facts%is%broad,%general%facts%
that%are%not%unique%to%a%particular%case%and%provide%therefore%
an% appropriate% basis% for% legislation% of% general% application.%
For%example,%black%lung%disease%(pneumoconiosis)%is%either%a%
progressive%disease,%like%asbestosis,%or%it%is%not.%Nothing%sup(
Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059% 27%
%

ports%the%idea%that%it%is%progressive%for%Miner%A%and%halts%for%
Miner%B.%
Even% legislative% facts% are% not% sacrosanct,% though% “those%
challenging%the%legislative%judgment%must%convince%the%court%
that%the%legislative%facts%on%which%the%classification%is%appar(
ently%based%could%not%reasonably%be%conceived%to%be%true%by%
the% governmental% decisionmaker.”% Vance' v.' Bradley,% 444% U.S.%
93,% 111% (1979).% And% anyway% voter% fraud,% voter% habits,% voter%
disenfranchisement% are% not% legislative% facts,% owing% to% the%
great% variance% across% and% even% within% states% in% the% admin(
istration%of%elections.%Some%states%have%small%enough%popula(
tions,% or% at% least% some% of% their% voting% precincts% have% small%
enough% populations,% that% poll% workers% are% likely% to% know%
personally%every%voter%who%shows%up%at%the%polls%to%vote.%No%
one%is%going%to%tell%the%poll%worker%that%he%or%she%is%someone%
else,%because%it%would%be%pointless.%Other%states,%or%areas,%are%
populous,%urban,%and%impersonal.%The%poll%workers%in%a%pre(
cinct%in%Manhattan%probably%have%never%laid%eyes%on%most%of%
the% voters% who% show% up% at% election% time.% The% likelihood% of%
other%forms%of%voter%fraud%similarly%depends%on%how%a%locali(
ty% conducts% its% elections.% We% learned% (if% we% didnnt% already%
know)% at% the% time% of% Bush' v.' Gore% that% every% locality% in% the%
country%conducts%elections%in%its%own%way—voting%machines,%
paper% ballots,% computer% punchcards,% whatever—a% % situation%
unsuited%to%the%application%of%the%concept%of%legislative%fact.%
The% panel% says% that% “after% a% majority% of% the% Supreme%
Court% has% concluded% that% photo% ID% requirements% promote%
confidence,%a%single%district%judge%[in%fact%every%federal%judge%
other%than%at%least%five%Supreme%Court%Justices%en'bloc]%cannot%
say%as%a%‘fact’%that%they%do%not,%even%if%20%political%scientists%
disagree%with%the%Supreme%Court.”%Does%the%Supreme%Court%
28% % Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059%
%

really% want% the% lower% courts% to% throw% a% cloak% of% infallibility%
around%its%factual%errors%of%yore?%Shall%it%be%said%of%judges%as%
it%was%said%of%the%Bourbon%kings%of%France%that%they%learned%
nothing%and%forgot%nothing?%
The% panel% opinion% mentions% none% of% the% pertinent% aca(
demic% and% journalistic% literature,% except% the% Ansolabehere%
and% Persily% article,% which% it% disdains.% Nor% does% the% opinion%
acknowledge% that% voting% is% a% low(reward% activity,% as% evi(
denced% by% the% fact% that% turnout% tends% to% be% low.% The% panel%
opinion%states%that%“if%photo%ID%is%available%to%people%willing%
to%scrounge%up%a%birth%certificate%and%stand%in%line%at%the%of(
fice% that% issues% driver’s% licenses,% then% all% we% know% from% the%
fact% that% a% particular% person% lacks% a% photo% ID% is% that% he% was%
unwilling%to%invest%the%necessary%time.”%But%that%ignores%So(
bel’s%study,%discussed%earlier,%and%the%broader%point%that%time%
is%cost.%The%author%of%this%dissenting%opinion%has%never%seen%
his% birth% certificate% and% does% not% know% how% he% would% go%
about%“scrounging”%it%up.%Nor%does%he%enjoy%waiting%in%line%
at% motor% vehicle% bureaus.% There% is% only% one% motivation% for%
imposing% burdens% on% voting% that% are% ostensibly% designed% to%
discourage% voter(impersonation% fraud,% if% there% is% no% actual%
danger% of% such% fraud,% and% that% is% to% discourage% voting% by%
persons% likely% to% vote% against% the% party% responsible% for% im(
posing%the%burdens.%
The%panel%opinion%bolsters%its%suggestion%that%“scroung(
ing”% up% a% birth% certificate% is% no% big% deal% by% stating% that% six%
voter%witnesses%in%the%district%court%“did%not%testify%that%they%
had% tried% to% get% [a% copy% of% their% birth% certificate],% let% alone%
that% they% had% tried% but% failed.”% That’s% another% error% by% the%
panel,%for%five%of%these%witnesses%testified%that%they%had%tried,%
but%had%failed,%to%obtain%a%copy%of%their%birth%certificate%in%or(
Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059% 29%
%

der%to%be%able%to%obtain%a%photo%ID%to%be%able%to%vote,%and%the%
sixth% (who% died% shortly% before% the% trial)% had% repeatedly% but%
unsuccessfully% tried% to% obtain% a% copy% of% her% birth% certificate.%
Illustrative% is% the% testimony% of% one% of% the% six% that% she% had%
tried% to% get% a% voter% ID% in% 2005% but% was% told% she% could% not%
without% a% birth% certificate.% She% was% given% a% form% to% send% to%
Mississippi,% where% she% had% been% born,% to% request% a% copy% of%
her%birth%certificate.%She%received%a%response%two%weeks%later%
that%“there%was%no%such%person”—she%hadn’t%been%born%in%a%
hospital%and%so%there%was%no%record%of%her%birth.%She%is%regis(
tered%to%vote,%has%worked%as%a%poll%worker,%and%had%voted%in%
the%2012%election.%
A% community% organizer% testified% that% she% had% tried% to%
help% another% one% of% the% witnesses% obtain% a% copy% of% his% birth%
certificate% so% that% he% could% obtain% a% photo% ID.% He% had% been%
born%in%Milwaukee,%but%the%vital(records%office%had%no%record%
of%his%birth%and%asked%him%for%additional%documentation,%in(
cluding% elementary% school% records—which% he% did% not% have,%
unsurprisingly%since%he%is%86.%He%had%voted%in%previous%elec(
tions% but% will% be% unable% to% vote% in% the% forthcoming% Novem(
ber%4%election.%The%testimony%of%the%other%witnesses%was%simi(
lar.%
Any% reader% of% this% opinion% who% remains% unconvinced%
that%scrounging%for%one’s%birth%certificate%can%be%an%ordeal%is%
referred%to%the%Appendix%at%the%end%of%this%opinion%for%disil(
lusionment.%
The%panel%opinion%notes%that%22%percent%of%eligible%voters%
in% Wisconsin% don’t% register% to% vote,% and% infers% from% this—
since%registration%is%not%burdensome%(you%don’t%need%to%pre(
sent% a% photo% ID% in% order% to% register)—that% the% 22% percent%
simply%aren’t%interested%in%voting.%Fair%enough.%But%the%panel%
30% % Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059%
%

further% infers% that% the% 9% percent% of% registered% voters% who%
don’t% have% photo% IDs% must% likewise% be% uninterested% in% vot(
ing,%since%they%are%unwilling%to%go%to%the%trouble%of%getting%a%
photo%ID.%Wrong.%The%correct%inference%from%the%fact%that%regG
istered%voters%lack%photo%IDs%is%the%opposite%of%the%panel’s%as(
sertion% that% their% failure% to% vote% proves% them% to% be% uninter(
ested%in%voting.%Why%would%they%have%bothered%to%register%if%
they%didn’t%want%to%vote?%Something%must%have%happened%to%
deter% them% from% obtaining% the% photo% ID% that% they% would%
need%in%order%to%be%permitted%to%vote:%the%inconvenience,%for%
some% registered% voters% the% great% difficulty,% of% obtaining% a%
photo%ID.%
A%remarkably%revelatory%article%by%Edwin%Meese%III%and%
J.%Kenneth%Blackwell,%entitled%“Holderns%Legacy%of%Racial%Pol(
itics,”% Wall' Street' Journal,% Sept.% 29,% 2014,% p.% A19,% defends% the%
photo%ID%movement%as%necessary%to%prevent%voter%imperson(
ation% encouraged% by% Democratic% politicians.% Yet% the% article%
states%that%in%Texas%the%adoption%of%a%photo(ID%law%increased%
turnout%in%counties%dominated%by%minorities%and%that%minor(
ity% participation% in% Indiana% rose% after% its% photo(ID% law% up(
held% in% Crawford% went% into% effect.% The% article% further% states%
that%in%Georgia%there%was%a%big'positive%effect%on%black%voting%
after%that%state’s%photo(ID%law%went%into%effect.%The%authors’%
overall% assessment% is% that% “voter(ID% laws% donnt% disenfran(
chise% minorities% or% reduce% minority% voting,% and' in' many' inG
stances'enhance'it”%(emphasis%added).%In%other%words,%the%au(
thors% believe% that% the% net% effect% of% these% laws% is% to% increase%
minority% voting.% Yet% if% that% is% true,% the% opposition% to% these%
laws%by%liberal%groups%is%senseless.%If%photo%ID%laws%increase%
minority%voting,%liberals%should%rejoice%in%the%laws%and%con(
servatives%deplore%them.%Yet%it%is%conservatives%who%support%
them% and% liberals% who% oppose% them.% Unless% conservatives%
Nos.%14(2058%&%14(2059% 31%
%

and% liberals% are% masochists,% promoting% laws% that% hurt% them,%
these% laws% must% suppress% minority% voting% and% the% question%
then% becomes% whether% there% are% offsetting% social% benefits—
the%evidence%is%that%there%are%not.%
To%conclude,%the%case%against%a%law%requiring%a%photo%ID%
as%a%condition%of%a%registered%voter’s%being%permitted%to%vote%
that% is% as% strict% as% Wisconsin’s% law% is% compelling.% The% law%
should% be% invalidated;% at% the% very% least,% with% the% court% split%
evenly%in%so%important%a%case%and%the%panel%opinion%so%riven%
with%weaknesses,%the%case%should%be%reheard%en%banc.%
32! ! Nos.!14(2058!&!14(2059! !
APPENDIX:)SCROUNGING)FOR)YOUR)BIRTH)CERTIFICATE)
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