Senate Republicans Move to get Voter ID to Wisconsin Voters in April

Republicans at the Wisconsin Capitol are not wasting any time in getting a constitutional amendment on voter ID to the voters.

The Senate Committee on Judiciary on Tuesday held a hearing on the proposed amendment that would add a voter ID to the state’s constitution.

Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, is helping the plan through the statehouse, Ge says voter ID laws in Wisconsin have been proven both successful and popular.

“To be clear this bill does not change any of the current voter ID laws. What is considered valid ID would still be considered a valid ID if this amendment would be ratified,” Wanggaard said. “Consistent polling shows 75 to 80% support for voter ID laws and this proposed amendment ensures that this basic and constitutional voter Integrity law remains the law of the land.”

Republican lawmakers first approved a voter ID law in Wisconsin back in 2011. It has since survived court challenges at both the state and federal level.

But Wanggaard said there’s a new liberal-majority Wisconsin Supreme Court, and Wanggaard said there have already been calls for that court to end the state’s voter ID law.

“I cannot say for certain how the Wisconsin Supreme Court would rule on voter ID laws,” Wanggaard added. “But I'm also not willing to risk a Wisconsin Supreme Court, unburdened by precedent and the Wisconsin Constitution, declaring voter ID laws unconstitutional.”

The legislature already approved the proposed constitutional amendment last session. If they approve it again this month, the question could then go to voters on the April ballot.

Rep. Pat Snyder, R-Weston, joked on Tuesday that allowing voters to have a say on voter ID would “be the will of the people, right?”

Democrats in the Senate, who have never liked Wisconsin’s voter ID law, spent Tuesday criticizing the amendment.

“We are here to make policy for every person in the state. For a single mom who's got a disabled kid, and has limited access to transportation, and lives in a rural county that doesn't even have a DMV that's open three days a week. That's the person that we should be thinking about, because her right to vote matters just as much as mine are yours,” Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison said. “And rather than doing work together to say hey it's crazy that you're expired driver's license doesn't count or driver's license from another state or a student ID with your photo on it doesn't count we've made it so restrictive that Wisconsin actually has one of the worst voter IDs and laws in the nation.”

The Wisconsin Senate is set to vote on the proposal Wednesday. It will then move for a vote in the Assembly next week.