9-2-13 voter id lawsuit

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin officials say a federal challenge to the state's voter ID law should be tossed because the only individual plaintiff died 10 months ago.  The lawsuit was filed last year by several groups who say it discriminates against blacks and Latinos.  The law requires voters to present an acceptable form of ID at the polls. A Dane County judge has blocked the law in separate litigation, and two federal cases are pending.  The lead plaintiff in one federal case is Bettye Jones, a black woman who lacks a birth certificate.  The state filed a motion Friday saying it recently learned Jones is dead, and the other plaintiffs are organizations that lack standing to sue.  But Jones's lawyer, Charles Curtis, says he believes the other plaintiffs do have standing.