CHICAGO — In a stunningly fast decision, a federal appeals court in Chicago reinstated Wisconsin’s voter photo identification law on Friday — just hours after three Republican-appointed judges heard arguments on reactivating the hotly debated law in time for the November election.
In a brief order, a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago said, ‘‘The State of Wisconsin may, if it wishes . . . enforce the photo ID requirement in this November’s elections.’’
Wisconsin officials wasted no time in saying they would do just that.
‘‘We are taking every step to fully implement the voter photo ID law for the November general election,’’ said Kevin Kennedy, the state’s top election official.
Some Democrats expressed outrage. ‘‘This ruling will disenfranchise Wisconsin voters and lower voter turnout in this fall’s election,’’ Democratic state Representative JoCasta Zamarripa, of Milwaukee, said in a statement.
He also worried the bid to implement the law less than two months before the Nov. 4 election would cause confusion among election officials and voters.