Voting accessibility is a key concern for those opposed to the amendment to Wisconsin’s constitution that requires voter ID. (NNS file photo)
By Devin Blake
This story was originally published by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, where you can find other stories reporting on fifteen city neighborhoods in Milwaukee. Visit milwaukeenns.org.
On April 1, Wisconsinites voted to add an amendment to the state constitution requiring valid photographic identification to vote, changing the nature of voting in the state for the foreseeable future.
A main argument in favor of the amendment is that it will restore confidence in the integrity of voting, said Rep. Patrick Snyder, R-Weston, a major force behind getting the amendment on April’s ballot.
“This (amendment) is to prevent the possibility of future fraud,” Snyder said.
However, many who oppose a voter ID amendment argue that it is unnecessary and adds burdens on already marginalized voters.
In favor of the amendment
Snyder authored the joint resolution needed as part of the process to add an amendment to the constitution.
The steps required to pass a constitutional amendment in Wisconsin are: approval of the resolution by the state Legislature in two back-to-back sessions, followed by a majority vote in a statewide referendum. That final step occurred on April 1.
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that it was “maybe the biggest win of the night” and that it would prevent cheating in future elections.
“Some people had concerns about election integrity. That was pretty obvious after the 2020 election,” said Erik Ngutse, community organizer for GOP politics in Milwaukee, referring to claims about voter fraud influencing the results of the 2020 presidential election.
For some, the concern about voter fraud isn’t merely about a single election but about U.S. democracy as a whole.
Members of both major political parties fear democracy is on the brink of collapse, according to a 2023 analysis in the Marquette Law Review.
By creating more safeguards during the voting process, Snyder said, voters can have more faith that the election results are accurate.
Ngutse saw it less about voter confidence.
“Most people I spoke to just saw it as a common-sense thing that should have been done a long time ago,” he said. “There are so many basic things you cannot do without an ID.”
Against the amendment
Others are not convinced that voter fraud is a cause for concern.
The narrative that voting results can’t be trusted is itself the problem, said Peg Schrader, vice president of voter services for the League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County, a nonpartisan organization that promotes voting and civic participation.
“You’re denigrating the electoral process. It makes people question if we have a legitimate process.”
Bree Wilde, executive director of the State Democracy Research Initiative and an adjunct professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School, points to work indicating that voting fraud does not exist on a meaningful level.
Instead of decreasing fraud, what a voter ID requirement does is increase barriers to voting, said both Wilde and Schrader.
Certain demographics can’t obtain a photo ID as easily as others, Schrader said, adding that the elderly, transgender people and unhoused people, for example, all face different obstacles in arranging the paperwork and appointments needed.
“Money is not usually an issue,” Schrader said. “If you apply for a photo ID in Wisconsin for the purposes of voting, it’s free. But it’s a documentation issue, an availability issue.”
About 51% of Milwaukee County voters voted against the amendment, according to results from the Milwaukee County Election Commission.
State law vs. constitutional amendment
A state law was enacted in 2011 that requires a photo ID to vote. However, the law was challenged in court and finally implemented in 2016.
Although the law and the amendment make the same requirement regarding voter ID, there is an important difference.
A constitutional amendment is much harder to challenge, Wilde said.
Preventing future challenges, however, is precisely one reason why Snyder worked on the amendment.
“If the other side of the aisle gets control of the (Wisconsin State) Assembly, they’ll take it off,” Snyder argued.
But, he added, lawmakers could add exceptions to allow for some flexibility.
Lawmakers could find ways to help people get IDs generally as well, Snyder said.
“We need IDs for a lot of different things, so let’s help people get IDs for everyday life, not just for voting.”
Resources
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation provides details about how to obtain an ID specifically for voting. https://wisconsindot.gov/pages/dmv/license-drvs/how-to-apply/petition-process.aspx
The Wisconsin Elections Commission provides information about voter registration. https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/