Wisconsin Governor Vows Veto on Voter ID Bill

AP Wire ^ | April 13, 2005 | Ryan Foley

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Wis. Gov. Vows Veto on Voter ID Bill

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin lawmakers passed a bill Wednesday that would require voters to provide a driver's license or other government-issued photo identification before casting a ballot. Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle said he would veto the measure.

If the bill becomes law, Wisconsin would join South Carolina with the toughest requirements for voter identification in the country, said Jennie Drage Bowser, who tracks state election laws at the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Indiana lawmakers Tuesday passed a similar voter identification bill, and Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels has said he will probably sign the measure.

While 19 states require voters to show some form of identification, only South Carolina requires the ID be a state driver's license or a military ID with a photo. The other states allow voters to show other forms of IDs, such as student IDs or Social Security cards, or permit voters to sign affidavits.

Wisconsin Republicans who pushed the measure through both houses of the Legislature say the photo ID requirement would lessen voter fraud and protect legitimate voters.

Democrats said the bill threatened the constitutional right to vote for thousands of poor and elderly who lack photo IDs and broke with the tradition of Wisconsin, long known for its high turnout and Election-Day voter registration.

Under the bill, voters would need to present a Wisconsin driver's license, a non-driver's ID issued by the Department of Transportation or a military ID. Voters without those IDs - or IDs with old addresses - would be able to cast a provisional ballot and have one day to prove their new address.

Currently, registered voters in Wisconsin need to given only their name and address.

Some 120,000 of Wisconsin's 5 million residents do not have photo IDs, state officials estimate. Two-thirds of them are elderly people who no longer drive.

Republicans said they would try to override Doyle's expected veto.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"Some 120,000 of Wisconsin's 5 million residents do not have photo IDs, state officials estimate. Two-thirds of them are elderly people who no longer drive."

These people can vote by absentee ballot if they want to. My Dad has voted that way for years but this year he wanted to go to the polls so he could "kick a Democrat-hired voter observation lawyer in the @ss" if the chance presented itself. LOL!

The Dems are running scared! Man, if the Reps can override this veto all heck is gonna break loose! Ya-Hoo!

[randog]

...and broke with the tradition of Wisconsin, long known for its high turnout and Election-Day voter registration.

Gee, I wonder why Wisconsin sees a large amount of voter interest on election day????

Sometimes I just wanna scream.

[Senator_Blutarski]

Here's some information from the Wisconsin DMV:

Obtaining an identification (ID) card
Any Wisconsin resident who does not hold a valid photo license from Wisconsin or another jurisdiction may request a photo ID. There is no age limit when applying for an ID card. When applying, it will be necessary to provide:

Proof of name and date of birth through a certified birth certificate, passport, or naturalization papers.
Acceptable proof of identity (usually a document with a signature or photo).
Proof of Wisconsin residency.
Your social security number.
The cost of an ID card is $9 for an original or renewal. A duplicate ID card costs $6. ID cards can be obtained at any DMV service center.

If you have questions:

E-mail: driverrecords.dmv@dot.state.wi.us
Call: (608)266-2353

[NoClones]

of course, doyle will veto that...

...it would preclude all the dem (stealth-commie) vote fraud in madison & milwaukee/racine county

[NoClones]

of course, doyle will veto that...

...it would preclude all the dem (stealth-commie) vote fraud in madison & milwaukee/racine county

[river rat]

"Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle said he would veto the measure."

Of course the DEMOCRATS don't want to allow ONLY Legal Voters at the Polls...

If only LEGAL voters voted -- the Democrats would lose too significant a percentage of their constituency to win ANY future elections......

The ONLY voters Democrats wish to ban from the polls - is the Military Vote and the Absentee Ballots -- which are predominately Republican...

Semper Fi Semper Fi

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"I can't imagine that they've lived their whole lives without ever having a photo ID."

Amazing, ain't it? Let's see...you need a photo ID to cash a check, get a Library Card, open a bank account, rent an apartment, start a new utilities account, apply for Medicare and buy booze...which the old folks in THIS state will never give up, LOL!

Gov. Doyle (D) thinks we're saps, as do ALL of the Dems in office in this state. I also have to contend with Senator Russ Feingold and CongressLesbian Tammy Baldwin!

But I'm workin' on it! I'm workin' on it! :)

[Kimmers]

It is ALWAYS the Dems that are against this.....the same is true here in Indiana.....could it be because all of the election fraud takes place in Democrat controlled precincts?

[Osage Orange]

Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle said he would veto the measure.

When will these college grads from the urinal schools in this country....get it RIGHT..!?!?!?

It's DEMOCRAT Gov......not DEMOCRATIC..!!

OOOHHHAAAAAACCCCKKKKK!!!!!

rant off..........

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"...could it be because all of the election fraud takes place in Democrat controlled precincts?"

Well, don't look for the MSM to investigate that anytime soon. It's SO frustrating, isn't it? Dane & Milwaukee counties are just lousy with Socialists who are so afraid of unlatching themselves from the 'Teat of Mother Government' that you can COUNT on them to pull out all the stops to win elections through fraud. We lost to Kerry by only 11,000 votes! So far, the investigators have documented close to 10,000 as fraudulent, though that'll all be forgotten by the time 2008 rolls around. Grrrrr!

The Reps are pegged as big "meanies" who want to deny old folks their Medicare, support Big Business at any cost to the Environment and take the food out of poor babies mouths.

And the Dems are given a "pass" again, and again and again in this state.

I'm getting too bent out of shape today. I think I need a "Media Break," LOL! :)

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Rant away, Orange!

I live here, but MY kid is going on to a Tech College this fall. He'll be "trained and marketable" and earning an excellent income outside of two more years. Then he can move out of my basement and into the Real World, versus having him here until he's 30 while he "writes his (worthless) Thesis."

As you so suscinctly put it: "OOOHHHAAAAAACCCCKKKKK!" :)