WASHINGTON – DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz issued the following statement on today’s Wisconsin primaries, which were marred by long lines and delays after the Republican Governor and Republican-led state legislature reduced early voting opportunities and imposed a restrictive voter ID law:



“Today, across Wisconsin reports of long lines, worker shortages, and confusion over the state’s restrictive Photo ID law were made worse as polling locations ran out of ballots. Regrettably, this was the inevitable result of decisions made by Republican Gov. Scott Walker and the GOP-led legislature to intentionally make it harder for students, women, minorities, working parents, the elderly, and the poor to vote. And this is not an isolated incident. What we saw in Wisconsin today is business as usual for the GOP.



“Time and again, all across the country, the Republican Party has worked to make it harder for the American people to exercise their fundamental right to vote. Just this week the Supreme Court rejected a conservative attempt to undermine the basic principle of ‘One Person, One Vote,’ and the Department of Justice launched an investigation into the decision by the Republican Recorder in Maricopa County to dramatically decrease the number of polling locations in Phoenix, where the vast majority of the state’s residents live.



“While even prominent Republicans have described the choice between Donald Trump and Ted Cruz as a choice between being shot and being poisoned, there’s no excuse for this type of partisan manipulation to deny Americans the right to vote. That’s not the way to win an election, and it’s a dramatic reminder that the Republican approach to governing is obstruction and government so small that it simply doesn’t work. We must elect leaders who protect the right to vote, and who recognize that restoring the Voting Rights Act and promoting participation in our democracy only makes our country stronger.



“To that end, I congratulate Senator Sanders on his victory tonight and applaud both him and Secretary Clinton for their commitment to unfettered voting rights and for continuing to run smart, substantive campaigns focused on the issues that matter to voters. That’s why today’s exit polls showed that about 7 in 10 Democrats said they are excited or optimistic about both of our candidates. We will have the strongest candidate in November.”