Governor Scott Walker OKs voter ID receipts at the polls
MADISON— Gov. Scott Walker has approved an emergency rule that allows people waiting for state photo identification cards to vote with receipts showing they're trying to obtain an ID.
The governor signed the rule Wednesday, May 11th.
The move comes days before a federal trial is set to begin in a lawsuit alleging Wisconsin's process for obtaining free state IDs is too onerous. A Walker spokesman didn't immediately respond to an email inquiring about the timing.
Republicans passed a law in 2011 requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls. The law allows people to obtain free IDs from the state Department of Transportation.
Opponents have argued that process takes too long and poor people and minorities often lack the supporting documents, such as birth certificates, they need to obtain the cards.
A statement from the Governor's Office on this rule signing is below:
Governor Scott Walker approved the proposed emergency rule modifying the Wisconsin Administrative Code to ensure everyone is able to obtain the documents they need to vote.
“Voter I.D. is about making it easier to vote and harder to cheat,” Governor Walker said. “This action ensures an individual is still able to vote while they work to obtain documentation needed for a free voter I.D. card.”
This week, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s Division of Motor Vehicles announced a new process to issue photo ID card receipts to those who need them to vote. These receipts will be issued to individuals who are in the process of obtaining photo ID cards for voting but are unable to produce the necessary documents in time for an election. The DMV has been offering free voter identification cards since 2011. This measure builds on that service, so that those who have difficulty accessing documentation needed for an ID card, and those who have errors on documentation, such as a misspelled name on a birth certificate, are still able to vote with a temporary photo ID card receipt.
The new process will be fully operational on Friday, May 13. Applicants can obtain more information about the process online at wisconsindmv.gov or by calling 608-266-1069.
Below is a statement from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation:
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) filed emergency rule language, effective May 13, 2016, to better assist persons in obtaining free photo identification documentation valid for the purposes of voting.
Any Wisconsin voter that currently has a Wisconsin Driver License or a Wisconsin Identification Card already has valid photo ID for voting. If an eligible Wisconsin voter does not have this identification, DMV offers Wisconsin Identification Cards free for the purposes of voting.
The documentation requirements to obtain a Wisconsin ID card may be found online (http://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/dmv/license-drvs/how-to-apply/petition-process.aspx). This site also describes the petition process, which assists persons in obtaining proof of name and date of birth or proof of U.S. citizenship, if unavailable to the applicant. The process to obtain verification of name and date of birth/U.S. citizenship can take time, especially for out-of-state births, so DMV will now be issuing photo identification card receipts no later than six (6) business days from receipt of the petition application. This identification card receipt, valid for the purposes of voting, is effective for 60 days, and will be renewed as long as the application remains in process. This will ensure customers have the identification needed to vote while their application remains in process.
The emergency rule makes a number of other changes to the petition processing requirements – all of which are intended to provide clarity to petition applicants.
With the upcoming elections this calendar year, Wisconsin DMV has published rule changes to help educate our customers, while providing streamlined access to valid identification for voting purposes.