Wisconsin faces lawsuit as civil rights groups cry foul over new voting rules | World news | guardian.co.uk: A tough new law in the state of Wisconsin requiring voters to carry a photo ID card before they can cast their vote is being challenged in a federal lawsuit that claims thousands of poor, black and elderly people could be disenfranchised.
The legal action, lodged in the federal court for the eastern district of Wisconsin, opens a new front in the battle over voter registration before next year's presidential election. Civil rights groups are warning that a wave of legislative restrictions introduced in more than 30 states amounts to a concerted attack on voting rights in America on a level not seen since the days of segregation.
The lawsuit has been brought by the American Civil Liberties Union against Scott Walker, the Republican governor of Wisconsin, and other state officials. It is the only active federal challenge to the imposition of ID laws on voters.
