Finance committee OKs money for voter ID outreach

MADISON — The Legislature's budget committee has approved $250,000 to educate the public about Wisconsin's voter photo identification requirement.


The state Government Accountability Board asked the Joint Finance Committee in April to release the money. The GAB suspended its voter ID outreach campaign in 2012 after a court challenge blocked the requirement. A federal appellate court ultimately upheld the law in 2014 and it was in effect for this past February's primary and the April 6 general election.

Finance committee member Rep. Chris Taylor and the League of Women Voters asked GAB to re-launch the education campaign, saying turnout could have been higher if more people understood the requirement.

The committee voted unanimously Monday to release the money and allow the state's new elections commission to implement the campaign.