What you need to know to vote in Wisconsin
Current Wisconsin law requires a voter to present a photo ID in order to cast a ballot. However, if a voter does not have a ID, they can still cast a ballot on Election Day, but there are an extra set of requirements that must be met before the vote is counted.
Up until 2014, there was not a path for voters to cast a ballot without providing one of the approved photo identification cards. The voter ID law in the state is a clear act of voter suppression, which is why it’s crucial for more voters to be aware of the requirements for casting a ballot in Wisconsin.
There are 34 states with voter ID laws across the country and each feature different requirements that voters must meet in order to cast a ballot. By increasing the awareness around these laws and preparing for them before election day, the harm they pose can be minimized.
Voters that do not have an ID will be allowed to cast a ballot, but their vote will not be counted until they return to a state Board of Elections office with proof of identity. They must do this within the next few days after polls close or their vote will not be counted.
Voters can also request a free identification card from the state that can be used solely to cast a ballot. To obtain the card, a voter must provide proof of identity and residency at a Wisconsin DMV.
By state law, a voter must present one of the following: Wisconsin state drivers license, state identification card, A certificate of naturalization (that was issued not earlier than two years before the date of the election); An identification card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe in Wisconsin; A driver license receipt issued by Wisconsin DOT (valid for 45 days from date issued); An identification card receipt issued by Wisconsin DOT (valid for 45 days from date issued); A Wisconsin DMV ID Petition Process Photo Receipt (valid for 180 days from date issued); A Veteran Affairs ID card (must be unexpired or have no expiration date); A photo identification card issued by a Wisconsin accredited university or college.
History of Voter ID in Wisconsin
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Wisconsin has one of the strictest voter ID laws in the country.
The Wisconsin law has been in effect since 2011 when the state legislature passed a law that required all voters to show an ID before casting a ballot. The Supreme Court struck down the law in 2014 and said that it would prevent people of color from being able to cast a ballot. But the Court’s decision was only on an emergency ruling basis and the law was allowed to continue in variation in the coming years.
When challenged on the necessity of the law during a gubernatorial debate in 2014, Walker insisted that voting fraud needed to be stopped at all costs but did not reference any specific incidents of fraud.
In the 2016 election, the state had a law in place that would allow for residents to be given a free identification card for the sole purpose of using it at the polls. This policy is still in place and voters in Wisconsin can apply for the card by going to the DMV and showing proof of residency.
Governor Scott Walker has been one leading voices in the fight for expanded voter ID laws despite the fact that many in the state were severely disenfranchised by the law.
Ari Berman reported on a very clear case disenfranchisement in the months leading up to the 2016 election.
Sarada Hanumadass, a native of Ireland, has moved to Wisconsin in 2012 after living in the Chicagoland area since she was 8 years old. She knew of Wisconsin’s voter ID law and set off to the DMV before the election to ensure that she would be able to vote. She had an Illinois driver’s license and proof of residency in Wisconsin. But this still was not enough for her to be able to obtain an adequate identification card. DMV employees told her she had to have a copy of her birth certificate, but this was not an option given the fact that she was born in Ireland. They then said she must obtain her naturalization papers, which her father could not find after weeks of searching.
Hanumadass was not able to vote in 2016. And she wasn’t the only one. A 2017 study from Professor Kenneth Mayer at the University of Wisconsin showed that nearly 20,000 voters in two of the state’s most populous counties were prevented from voting because they did not have an ID.
One Wisconsin Now has sued Governor Walker repeatedly for the state’s laws that can undermine the right to vote.
Future of Voter ID in Wisconsin
Wisconsin is one of the country’s most restrictive states in terms of voting laws. Its Republican-led legislature continues to insist that voter fraud is rampant in the state and will continue to keep the law in place for the 2018 election cycle.
Governor Scott Walker was one of the leading voices in the fight to create strict voting laws and he’s up for reelection this year. He will face a tough road to victory and voters in Wisconsin should pay attention to the many Democratic candidates running in the race.
Walker’s approval numbers are abysmal and he’ll be vulnerable in November despite the fact that the race is currently rated as Lean Republican. If more Democrats are elected to the state legislature, the damage that ID laws pose can be limited.
The Wisconsin primary is on August 14. Our target race in Wisconsin’s 1st District is critical for our effort to take back the House. Paul Ryan’s retirement left Republicans scrambling for a candidate. Five candidates will face off for the Republican nomination with the Ryan-backed Bryan Steil leading the pack. Our eyes will be on the Democratic primary where union ironworker Randy Bryce, known for his viral announcement ad attacking Paul Ryan last year, and accomplished school teacher Cathy Myers will face off. Both candidates would give the district the progressive voice in Congress they desperately need to represent their best interests.
If you live in Wisconsin, you can vote from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on August 14. Click here to find your polling place.
Remember to bring a form of identification or be prepared to return to the local Board of Elections office with an acceptable ID within the few days following the election.
- August 13, 2018
