Voter ID Bill Includes Other Changes

Finally, now that Wisconsinites elected Republicans to control both houses of the State Legislature, and now that Wisconsinites elected Scott Walker to be governor, there's hope that safeguards will be put in place to thwart voter fraud.

There's hope Wisconsin will no longer be a haven for fraud and faith in its elections will be restored.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

The latest version of a bill requiring voters to show photo ID at the polls would make sweeping changes to Wisconsin elections - moving the September primary to August, tightening rules on absentee ballots and ending straight-ticket voting.

A hearing on the bill is slated for 10 a.m. Wednesday, and Republicans who run the Assembly will meet in private later in the day to discuss any changes to the measure.

Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon) said his caucus is largely behind the latest version by Rep. Jeff Stone (R-Greendale), but may want to tweak it. He said he hopes to pass the bill in May and forward it to the Senate.

Stone's bill leaves in place the ability of people to register at the polls. Some Republicans have wanted to eliminate election-day registration, but Stone said he did not believe they needed to take that step.

"This is going to go a long way to restoring confidence in elections," Stone said of his bill.

Rep. Tamara Grigsby (D-Milwaukee) decried the plan, saying the photo ID measure and changes to absentee voting laws would make it harder to vote while not preventing voter fraud.

"This is just consistent with what we've been seeing all session - extreme overreach in trying to take away people's rights," she said. "It's another assault on average Wisconsinites, but particularly on those most vulnerable."

Democrat Grigsby's remarks are to be expected. She recently accused Republicans of being afraid to be in Milwaukee after dark.

She'll say anything. She has no qualms about disparaging the character of others.

Putting her hysterics aside, I'm happy to see that efforts to clean up Wisconsin's elections are being made.

I'm not at all happy with same-day registration. It is an open invitation to disenfranchise Wisconsin residents - we, the taxpayers. But, Republicans do realize that voter ID alone isn't enough to eliminate fraud.

Read about other changes included in the bill.

There are still problems but we're headed in the right direction.

The status quo is unacceptable.

Everyone - Democrat, Republican, or whatever - has a stake in ensuring that the outcome of Wisconsin's elections are legitimate.

I don't like that recall elections will invite fraud. I'm very uneasy about that, but at least the 2012 elections have promise of being somewhat cleaner.

Don't steal my vote, bro!