Group, suing over voting limits, says new law is similar to one already tossed

First challenge to new laws in Wisconsin should be in the courts soon.

Citizen Action of Wisconsin is among the groups suing over the measure signed into law, last week, by Gov. Scott Walker that limits in-person absentee voting to two weeks before elections.

Citizen Action executive director Robert Kraig said the new law is a little like deja vu.

“We see no substantive difference between the new restrictions Gov. Walker signed Friday,” Kraig said, “and the restrictions a federal judge already struck down in 2016 — finding both a violation of voting rights and, actually, potential racial discrimination.”

Kraig added that the intention in the law is clearly to dissuade voters in heavy Democratic-voting areas like Madison and Milwaukee.  

“It wasn’t the entire reason for striking it down,” Kraig said of the law thrown out by a judge two years ago. “He also found the restrictions a violation of general voting rights, but he found there was there was specific racial intent and that, also, is greatly illegal and unconstitutional.”

The voting limits measure was among those pushed through by Republican majorities in that extraordinary lame-duck special session in Madison this month.