Minority communities must prepare for Voter ID Law - Milwaukee Courier Weekly Newspaper
July 28, 2011
Complied by Courier Staff
“Voting is a right, not a privilege, but it is evident that there are people and politicians who see it differently”, Alderwoman Milele Coggs stated during the recent Community Brainstorming meeting on Voter ID, this past Saturday.
But most minority communities know there is no right more precious in our nation than the right of citizens to cast a ballot on Election Day. That is why generations of Americans have sacrificed and even died in efforts to expand the right to vote. Yet across the country, powerful corporate interests and the right-wing politicians who do their bidding are working hard to make it more difficult for citizens to vote.
Wisconsin is unfortunately included in the two dozen states this year where bills have been introduced to restrict the right to vote; and in several states where Wall Street-backed Republicans control both houses of the legislature, governors have signed these fundamentally misguided measures into law. Again Wisconsin joins this group.
Here in Wisconsin this May, Gov. Scott Walker and his corporate-backed cronies in Madison enacted a law that will require every voter to show a government-issued identification card before they are able to cast a vote. Hundreds of thousands of Badger State voters will be denied their right to vote. A study conducted by the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee determined that this change in Wisconsin’s law will have a serious impact, particularly on students and minorities. More than 50 percent of the African American men and 49 percent of African American women in the state do not have a driver’s license or passport. Even more staggering; among African Americans aged 18- 24, 78 percent of males and 66 percent of females lack a valid ID.
While most adult Americans have a driver’s license, it is not necessarily true for large groups of Americans. Students, other young people and the working poor living in metropolitan areas often rely on mass transit, rather than own a car. Senior citizens living in nursing homes or with their families often give up driving. The blind and others with physical disabilities don’t drive. All of them will be affected by these new restrictions. And what about the homeless.
Wisconsin’s minority politicians are gearing up to help fight the negative implications that come with this law. At Saturday’s Community Brainstorming meeting the basement was packed with representatives from organizations, churches, and community grass root volunteers who came out to here ways to educate and inform people in the community on how to obtain the necessary IDs that will be needed to combat the obstacles that are now in place with this Voter ID Law.
In addition to forcing this law down citizens throats, this law is also coming with limited funds to implement and educate communities to prevent them from having their rights restricted in voting.
The City of Milwaukee Election Commission states that this new law will require voters to show a photo ID to vote starting with the 2012 Spring Primary. An acceptable photo ID is not required to contain a current address. Here are the IDs; A Wisconsin DOT-issued driver license, even if driving privileges are revoked or suspended. A Wisconsin DOT-issued identification card. A Military ID card issued by a U.S. uniformed service. A U.S. passport. Note: These identifications must have an expiration date after the November 2, 2010 election. Additional forms of ID are: A certificate of naturalization that was issued not earlier than two years before the date of an election at which it is presented. An unexpired driving receipt issued by Wisconsin DOT. An unexpired identification card receipt by Wisconsin DOT. An identification card issued by a federally recognized Indian Tribe in Wisconsin. An unexpired identification card issued by a Wisconsin-accredited university or college that contains the following: Date of Issuance, Signature of Student, Expiration date not later than two years Date of Issuance.
Now it is very important to note, that if a person does not have any of the above forms of acceptable ID, then you can go to the DMV and state that you need a Wisconsin ID in order to vote, and this card will be available free of charge. It is important to note that you must ask for this, and clearly state that this ID is for voting, because it is quite unlikely that this information will be voluntarily given. Wisconsin law requires the Department of Transportation to provide free ID cards to any individual who will be at least 18 years of age on the date of the next election and who requests a free ID for the purpose of voting. The regular fee is $28.00.
Also, since a certified copy of a birth certificate is required in order to obtain the State ID, State Senator Spencer Coggs has a bill requesting that the first copy of a birth certificate be free of charge.
Also remember that DMV requires in addition to a birth certificate, something with your address on it (piece of mail, bill, bank statement), and a social security card.
The Milwaukee Courier will also do its part in educating our community by providing these voting ID tips in our paper weekly in the weeks following this article.