Some Wisconsin voters having trouble getting required ID

pioneer press ^ | 12-11-11 | Andy Rathbun

[WOBBLY BOB]

Jennifer "Rita" Platt says she's determined to vote next year, but Wisconsin isn't making it easy for her.

She and the rest of Wisconsin's voters will need to comply with a new voter ID law when they go to the polls in February's primaries.

With few exceptions, those without the proper ID can't vote.

But Platt and her boyfriend don't have forms of identification accepted at the polls, so they recently drove about 45 minutes to a Department of Motor Vehicles office in Hudson to each get an ID.

They encountered two problems.

The DMV office's computer system was down, which meant they couldn't get an ID processed. And they were told they didn't have the proper identification to get a state ID card or a Wisconsin driver's license, Platt said.

"They said I didn't have a certified birth certificate or a current passport," said Platt, who said she had asked the DMV what was needed before heading to Hudson.

[alloysteel]

Apparently, setting up fake ID’s has not been all that difficult in the past. The real difficulty now is attempting to get VERIFIABLE ID based on these previously obtained fake documents.

Identity theft is one thing, simply creating a whole new identity out of whole cloth is an altogether different proposition.

Somewhere, there was once a real document that relates to the birth of almost everybody, and it was once on file with some level of authority. Unless, of course, the paper trail is inadvertently, or sometimes intentionally, destroyed through massive means.

[wita]

So they drove all that way without a valid driver’s license? Seems to me like being unable to get ID to vote is the least of the issues here.

Good catch dirt.

If I’m not mistaken, the FED has somehow mandated the new license requirements but not all states have begun to institute them, they are brutal, especially for divorced women who change their names back. Have a friend that took three months to get the required paperwork to renew her license.

I thought I had everything I needed when I went in, but needed another item that had my address on it. They suggested the proof of insurance carried in the vehicle. A run to the parking lot fixed that problem. That was after showing birth certificate and another item with local address on it.

[MarkL]

so they recently drove about 45 minutes to a Department of Motor Vehicles office in Hudson to each get an ID.

So how did they "(drive) about 45 minutes" if neither has a valid state drivers license.

BTW, last year I moved to another state. I was required to present a certified birth certificate. About 20 minutes on the telephone, a letter, and a check for $20, and less than 2 weeks later, I had TWO copies of a certified birth certificate.

Maybe people who aren't capable of getting a certified birth certificate have no business voting.

Mark

[missnry]

Did the Pioneer Press pull the Facebook comments??? Geeze I wonder why? The woman admitted that her partner had an IOWA Drivers License!! According to the Wisconsin DMV you have 60 days to get a regular Wisconsin drivers license once you move to the state. (30 days if a CDL.)
Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[Kozak]

Bet they have ID for the liquor store and cigarettes....

[isthisnickcool]

Jennifer and her boyfriend can never remember anything. Their ID’s are under the floor in the living room. It’s the third board from the front of the fireplace. They just need to pull it up. It is the same place where they hide their meth......

[listenhillary]

"so they recently drove about 45 minutes to a Department of Motor Vehicles.

Driving with out a license?

[listenhillary]

How does she have a job in a school district without an ID?

[maggief]

http://wivoices.areavoices.com/2011/12/10/wisconsin-couple-unable-to-get-id-to-vote/

John Wolfe and Rita Platt

(photo by Art Juchno)

Now that photo ID’s are required for voting in Wisconsin, Jennifer “Rita” Platt and John Wolfe drove 45 minutes from Osceola to the nearest Dept. of Motor Vehicles office in Hudson, only to be turned away. Governor Walker and state Republicans recently passed the “Voter Photo ID Law”, or Act 23, which has many Wisconsinites scrambling. Rita and John brought social security cards, current pay stubs, and driver’s licenses from Iowa, but it wasn’t enough. They need to pay for certified birth certificates, and wait for them to arrive in the mail, in order to secure a free Wisconsin ID card issued for voting. To complicate matters further for the couple, the computers at the DMV were down and unable to process their request.

Here’s their story.

——————————————-

Rita: On November 23 (2011), John and I drove down the day before Thanksgiving, because we were both lucky enough to have the day off … hoping to get our Wisconsin driver’s licenses. It is a long haul down to the DMV, and it takes some time at the DMV, and it is a long haul back up, so we wanted to do it on a day when we didn’t have work.

So, as soon as we got there another customer told us that the computers were down and that he’d been there all morning. We must’ve gotten there sometime around 10 or 11:00 am, and he said he’d been there since it opened [8:00]. And so we thought (Hugh…rolled eyes), “What a bummer! The one day we could come here the computers are down and we can’t get our licenses.” Then, the gals behind the counter encouraged us to get our paperwork filled out, in the hopes that when we were finished the computers would be up and running.

So, we filled out the paperwork, and the gal asked for my identification. I gave her my expired Iowa state driver’s license. [Rita and John moved to WI 18 months ago] And I gave her my pay stub for my school district in St. Croix Falls, where I teach. She said these didn’t count as proof of identification and that I needed either a certified birth certificate or a passport, neither of which I had. Then, I asked her if I could, at least, get a voter ID, since I’d like to vote in the next election. She said, “No.” I couldn’t get that either because I’d need either a certified birth certificate or a valid passport to get a voter I.D., as well.

Finally, I told her that I’d previously been a Wisconsin resident (from the mid ‘80’s – mid 90’s) and that I’d had a driver’s license at that time. Then, she said, “Oh, if you’ve already had a Wisconsin driver’s license, then you can get a new one and you don’t need the other proof.” So, she got on the computer…which, I still don’t understand because she said it was down, but she was able to find some information on the computer about me.…She was able to see my old license on the screen but for some reason she couldn’t see enough information for it to count. So, at that point I knew that there was no chance to get a license or voter I.D.

I was super, super frustrated at that point. And, um, and you know, I’d watched John struggle to get his, too, and also be denied. So, we left, and that was the end of the story for that day.

John: … fair enough, computers go down…but I went in there with a current Iowa driver’s license, social security card, proof of residency here – a bank statement, and a pay stub. They said, “No, that doesn’t count as proof of your identity.” They also said that I had no proof that I was aUnited States citizen, because all a social security card says is that at some point I was allowed to work here. So, you know, it is hard in that situation to not want to argue with the women that are working there. But at the same time you realize that they are just employees.

What is your plan now? Do you still plan on getting your licenses or IDs?

Rita: Well, I’m really lucky because I know that I will get my driver’s license before the next election. I have a computer, so I went on to find out how to get a certified birth certificate. I’m from California, so I have to fill out some online paperwork and pay $26 and wait for it to come. Then, the next time I go back it will have to be a day off work. So, that will be lost income, and then to spend the gas down and back the second time, with gas being close to $4 a gallon. Altogether, that is a ton of money. There are a couple of other DMV centers that are 30 minutes away, but they are only open 1-2 afternoons per month and only open during my working hours.

John: I was born in Arlington,Virginia and it’s going to take somewhere between $20 and $30 to order a certified birth certificate. But I’m one of the lucky ones. I can take the time off work. I can have some flex time, and I have a pretty good salary. I have a reliable car. I can do all of this, and I will. But what worries me is that this is a law that will cause many people not to vote. I value democracy, and I want my fellow citizens to vote.

[According to UW Milwaukee, School of Continuing Education, Employment & Training Institute: “Minorities and poor populations are the most likely to have drivers license problems. Less than half (47 percent) of Milwaukee County African American adults and 43 percent of Hispanic adults have a valid drivers license ...The situation for young adults ages 18-24 is even worse — with only 26 percent of African Americans and 34 percent of Hispanics in Milwaukee County with a valid license compared to 71 percent of young white adults in the Balance of State…. An estimated 23 percent of persons aged 65 and over do not have a Wisconsin drivers license or a photo ID. The population of elderly persons 65 and older without a driver’s license or a state photo ID totals 177,399 and of these 70 percent are women.”]

What has been your experience voting in other states?

Rita: I was living in Wisconsin for my first election, at 18, and I’ve voted in every election. I love adventure and travel, so I’ve lived in a lot of different states. I’ve voted in 5 different states and overseas. This is the first I’ve ever had any trouble. I’ve lived in rural Eskimo villages on the Bering Sea coast, and I’ve voted overseas in Thailand. No problem. Now, here I am in Wisconsin raising my kids in theMidwest, with values that are so close to my own, and this is the first time I’ve had any trouble trying to vote. I’ve never missed a single election, and I certainly didn’t want to miss the coming election (special election for the recall of Gov. Scott Walker).

It is sad to say, and I’m certainly not a conspiracy theorist, in general, but it does seem a bit suspicious to me that this Voter ID law came up now, when our state is very divided and there is a lot anger. Here we have this law that has the potential to disenfranchise an incredible number of voters. You look at the statistics and this will affect a huge number of African American and Latino voters. It seems politically motivated.

John: I’ve lived in Iowa, Illinois, Arizona, Japan, and Switzerland. Any other place I’ve been, any other state, any other country, it was fairly simple to vote with some documentation, and now, suddenly, I was stopped cold.

There seems to be a double standard. You have these legislators who claim that we need this law to protect valid democracy. And yet depriving someone by setting up conditions that make it difficult to vote, for someone who has a right to vote, means a vote has not been counted. And that is a blow at the democratic process just as much as permitting someone to vote who shouldn’t be allowed to. Yet, I don’t see the Republican legislators wringing their hands and panicking over the fact that 100 or 1000 people who should be voting are not going to vote. You know, where is their concern for the validity for the voting process then?

[yldstrk]

direct deposit?

[elli1]

a pay stub from the St. Croix Falls school district, where [Rita] works as a librarian...

So, Rita the school librarian couldn't do the research needed to know what items she needed to take to the DMV in order to get a valid photo ID??

I smell Whopper & it isn't Burger King.

[oh8eleven]

Did the Pioneer Press pull the Facebook comments???
Yes they did. Maybe the "reporter" Andy Rathbun knows why.
arathbun@pioneerpress.com
651-228-2121

[maggief]

"driver’s licenses from Iowa"

http://hudson-wi.patch.com/articles/couple-runs-into-difficulties-getting-voter-id-at-hudson-dmv

Like many people, John Wolfe and Rita Platt of Osceola had the day off from work on Friday, Nov. 23. They decided to make the 45-minute trip to Hudson's Department of Motor Vehicles office to obtain their driver licenses or at least an ID card needed to vote in upcoming Wisconsin elections. They left with neither, according to blogger Heidi Herron.

A WI Voices blog post tells their story. Wolfe and Platt went to the DMV with the out-of-state driver licenses they have been using since moving to Wisconsin 18 months ago. The DMV clerk told them that a certified birth certificate or a passport was needed for identification purposes, and that a social security card or pay stub would not suffice. If that weren't frustrating enough, the DMV’s computer system was down at the time, which further complicated the visit.

Both Wolfe and Platt will have to pay fees to acquire certified copies of their birth certificates (Wolfe from Virginia; Platt from California). Then they will have to make another trip to the Hudson DMV to once again attempt to file their paperwork.

Read the full story

[wita]

Other
Lazy Oaf Lounge, SKITZOfrenic, Getting Two Points From Steve Platt, Bill Maher, TURF FEINZ, Sudan Action Now, WriteAPrisoner.com, 540,000 To See Scott Walker out of WI, January 2012, Shit my governor says, WEAC, Protect Wisconsin Families, Sheila Harsdorf, Northwest United Educators, Isthmus, The Capital Times, League of Women Voters of the U.S., Connectivity: Teaching & Learning Collaboratively, Bently and Wilson Photography, Wipeout Homophobia on Facebook., Professional Development Institute, Coffee Party Progressives, Join the Coffee Party Movement, Van Jones, Rebuild The Dream, Barack Obama, How Almost Everyone Just Got Screwed In One Chart, Help write the progressive Contract for the American Dream, Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Democratic Party, Dr. Cornel West, Tavis Smiley, The Huffington Post, We Are Wisconsin, We Are Wisconsin, One Wisconsin Now, Shelly Moore for State Senate, Amanda Terkel, We Teach We Learn, JoAnne Kloppenburg for Wisconsin Supreme Court, Aziz Ansari, El Sobrante, California, Tammy Baldwin, Naomi Klein, Colbert Nation, Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, Bruce Springsteen for Labor Rights in Wisconsin, Recall Sheila Harsdorf - Polk/Burnett, Solidarity with Wisconsin Public Workers, Wisconsin State Workers against Scott Walker, The Heroic Wisconsin 14, Speak Up For Education and Kids, Liberal, Al Franken, Michael Moore, Michael Moore, Progressives United, Russ Feingold, Lena C. Taylorand 44 more

This is a no brainer, and number one sets the tone. Rita’s facebook interests. A quick perusal is all that is needed to see just what Rita is all about. Anti-American ditzy ding-a-ling, with way too much time on her hands. I just love social networking, NOT!

[HIDEK6]

especially for divorced women who change their names back

Really?

Women and minorities hit hardest?

[dirtboy]

A WI Voices blog post tells their story. Wolfe and Platt went to the DMV with the out-of-state driver licenses they have been using since moving to Wisconsin 18 months ago. The DMV clerk told them that a certified birth certificate or a passport was needed for identification purposes, and that a social security card or pay stub would not suffice.

I have moved across state lines several times, and as long as I had a still-valid license from my old state, I had no problems getting a new license with only that as ID. Methinks BOTH had expired licenses, in which case their problem isn't just voting, but driving legally. Plus, every state requires you to get a new, valid license within a month or two of moving there, which these two clearly did not.

So the moral is, if they had simply followed the law for getting a new state driver's licenses after moving there, they would have no issue now having ID to vote. But somehow this new regulation is too onerous to follow, and their clearly contrived effort to make this seem difficult is just a setup for a lawsuit.

[oh8eleven]

So, Rita the school librarian ...
Interesting that in Post #29 she's quoted as saying:

"I gave her my pay stub for my school district in St. Croix Falls, where I teach."

Being a librarian and teaching are two very different jobs.

[deport]

For what it is worth:

Photo ID Required to Vote

snip

Begining in 2012, a photo ID is required upon voting before a ballot is issued to voters.  The purpose of photo ID is to verify the identity of the voter.  For additional information regarding what constitutes an acceptable photo ID, please see the document “Wisconsin New Voter Photo ID Law.” 

Proof of Residence

The following constitute acceptable Proof-of-Residence if the document contains your current name and address and is valid on Election Day (unless otherwise indicated): 

1. A current and valid Wisconsin driver license.
2. A current and valid Wisconsin identification card.
3. Any other official identification card or license issued by a Wisconsin governmental body or unit.
4. Any identification card issued by an employer in the normal course of business and bearing a photo of the card holder, but not including a business card.
5. A real estate tax bill or receipt for the current year or the year preceding the date of the election.
6. A residential lease which is effective for a period that includes election day (NOT for first-time voters registering by mail).
7. A university, college or technical institute identification card (must include photo), ONLY if the bearer provides a fee receipt dated within the last nine months or the institution provides a certified housing list to the municipal clerk.
8. A gas, electric or telephone service statement (utility bill) for the period commencing not earlier than 90 days before election day.
9. Bank statement.
10. Paycheck.
11. A check or other document issued by a unit of government.

Updating Voter Registration Information

If you move your residence or change your name, you are required to update your voter registration information.  This is done by filling out form GAB-131 and sending it to your local municipal clerk's office. end snip

[Lockbox]

She had brought ... a pay stub from the St. Croix Falls school district

So she works for a school district with little kids and the school district required no ID in order to apply for a job. What no back ground check? Good job school district, guess you use the small HR rules that Penn State uses..........

[oh8eleven]

John: I’ve lived in Iowa, Illinois, Arizona, Japan, and Switzerland. Any other place I’ve been, any other state, any other country, it was fairly simple to vote with some documentation ...
Really? Other countries allow non-citizens to vote?