Wisconsin Democrats sue to open mail-in voting to all — and keep voters safe

On Wednesday, Wisconsin Democratic Party chairman Ben Wikler announced that his state party organization, as well as the Democratic National Committee, is suing to make significant changes to the voting process to make it easier to vote by mail — protecting voters from the risk of exposure to coronavirus.

Among the measures they are seeking are a deadline extension for online voter registration, and to exempt voters from GOP-imposed strict ID requirements for absentee ballot requests.

As cases of COVID-19 have increased rapidly in the United States, concern has risen about the safety of in-person voting. Many local officials have sought to provide sanitizer and space out voting lines to minimize the risk, but allowing more voters to cast ballots by mail would be even more effective.

Wisconsin is one of Democrats' most hotly contested targets in November, and is a potential "tipping point" state which could decide the entire election. In addition, Wisconsin is holding a general election for the state Supreme Court at the same time as the Democratic primary, in which an appointee of former GOP Gov. Scott Walker will face off against a Democratic-backed liberal candidate who could cut the size of the conservative majority.