Milwaukee County is still providing free birth certificates for the purposes of voting in Milwaukee County, despite the ruling from Dane County Judge Richard Niess against the recently adopted Voter ID law. Supervisor Harris authored a 2012 Budget Amendment to provide a limited number of free birth certificates for individuals who have never received a state ID.
“While I welcome the permanent injunction issued by Judge Niess this week, we’re not there yet. We still have a long road to travel in overturning this law for good,” Supervisor Harris said. “We will continue to help individuals get the documents they need to vote. It’s important for everyone, including those who don’t drive, to participate in the election process.”
In order to obtain a free identification card from the State Department of Transportation, the applicant must provide a copy of a vital record, such as a birth certificate from the County Register of Deeds Office. For individuals who have never received a state ID card, Milwaukee County is currently offering free birth certificates for the purposes of voting.
“Last year, I led the fight against this bill and hosted a series of town hall meetings and information sessions to get the word out,” Supervisor Harris added. “We will continue to make sure that every voice is heard and every vote counts.”
For more information or to access the birth certificate request form, Milwaukee County residents can visit Supervisor Harris’ webpage at http://county.milwaukee.gov/D2/VoterID.htm.
