NEWS
Maslon Attorneys Take Pro Bono Case Challenging Voting Amendment
June 15, 2012
Maslon attorneys Bill Pentelovitch, Rich Wilson, Wayne Moskowitz and Catherine Ahlin-Halverson are acting as pro bono representation for the League of Women Voters Minnesota, Common Cause, Jewish Community Action, and five individuals in a challenge to what is popularly referred to as the "Voter ID Amendment" which is to be voted on in the upcoming November 2012 general election.
On Wednesday, May 30, 2012, Maslon lawyers and their co-counsel from the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota and the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation filed a petition with the Minnesota Supreme Court on behalf of the plaintiffs to remove the proposed constitutional amendment from the November ballot, asserting that the language of the ballot question is misleading, inaccurate, and doesn't clearly state the changes that could compromise a person's right to vote. During a coinciding press conference, Bill Pentelovitch outlined the legal issues surrounding the amendment and its failure to disclose procedures for casting provisional ballots for voters who do not have a photo ID, noting, "all of which are significant and should be enough to cause the Supreme Court to prohibit this ballot question from being asked." In a Pioneer Press article covering the petition, Bill states, "The petition is not about whether the amendment should or should not be adopted, the petition is about whether or not the ballot question fairly and non-fraudulently states what the constitutional amendment they're being asked to vote on is about."
View recent media coverage on this matter below:
Minnesota Public Radio (AUDIO): Groups sue over Minn. voter ID amendment
Minneapolis Star Tribune: ACLU petitions state high court to stop voter ID amendment
MINNPost: Long-anticipated lawsuit filed opposing Photo ID constitutional amendment
On Wednesday, May 30, 2012, Maslon lawyers and their co-counsel from the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota and the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation filed a petition with the Minnesota Supreme Court on behalf of the plaintiffs to remove the proposed constitutional amendment from the November ballot, asserting that the language of the ballot question is misleading, inaccurate, and doesn't clearly state the changes that could compromise a person's right to vote. During a coinciding press conference, Bill Pentelovitch outlined the legal issues surrounding the amendment and its failure to disclose procedures for casting provisional ballots for voters who do not have a photo ID, noting, "all of which are significant and should be enough to cause the Supreme Court to prohibit this ballot question from being asked." In a Pioneer Press article covering the petition, Bill states, "The petition is not about whether the amendment should or should not be adopted, the petition is about whether or not the ballot question fairly and non-fraudulently states what the constitutional amendment they're being asked to vote on is about."
View recent media coverage on this matter below:
Minnesota Public Radio (AUDIO): Groups sue over Minn. voter ID amendment
Minneapolis Star Tribune: ACLU petitions state high court to stop voter ID amendment
MINNPost: Long-anticipated lawsuit filed opposing Photo ID constitutional amendment
