State Senate passes ballot question to require voter ID

Gov. Tony Evers may be pushing a dead-on-arrival proposal to let Wisconsinites pursue constitutional amendments without legislative approval, but in the meantime the legislature itself is making sure voters will have plenty of proposed amendments to vote upon.

Wisconsin voters rendered verdicts on five separate legislative attempts to amend the state constitution in 2024 alone, and now at least one more is likely coming their way in April, with even more possible.

Earlier this month, the state Senate passed a proposed amendment to make photo voter ID permanent in the state. If the measure passes the Assembly, as is expected, it will head to the voters in April. 

It was the second time the Senate passed it. State constitutional amendments must pass the Legislature in two consecutive sessions and then be approved by the voters.

Senate president Mary Felzkowski (R-Tomahawk) said showing a photo ID to vote is just common sense, not to mention overwhelming popular.

“Secure elections are a fundamental part of a functioning government and cannot be subject to political winds,” Felzkowski said. “Enshrining this basic requirement in our constitution will ensure voting in Wisconsin remains secure moving forward.”

Felzkowski pointed out that an ID is required to drive a car, open a bank account, and even to get a library card, and so she said there is no reason why showing an ID to vote is not acceptable.

“Requiring voter ID is an easy way to make sure people feel confident when they vote and ensure that the foundation of our constitutional republic is strong,” she said.

Rep. Tyler August (R-Walworth) said the voter ID requirement is but one part of a priority agenda that is centered around election integrity. August said recent studies show that more than 80 percent of Americans support voter ID requirements and that current law in Wisconsin has required voter ID in elections for nearly a decade, with no major issues. 

August also pointed out that cementing the law into the constitution will ensure that an activist court won’t be able to strike down the provision.

“It is disappointing that we have seen activist courts legislating from the bench,” he said. “Our goal is to get voter ID into the constitution so that the common-sense law cannot be blocked by progressive judges.”

Newly elected state Rep. Jim Piwowarczyk (R-Hubertus), a co-author of the joint resolution to amend the constitution, said the amendment was necessary to block an overreaching activist Supreme Court.

“This common-sense requirement will safeguard our elections and has strong support from voters,” Piwowarczyk said. “The resolution removes partisanship from the process by putting the question directly to voters in April. Otherwise, we face the real risk that the runaway train liberal Wisconsin Supreme Court will seek to abolish voter ID against the wishes of most Wisconsinites.”

Piwowarczyk noted that verifying voters’ identities at the polls is more critical than ever due to President Joe Biden’s reckless open border policies. What’s more, Piwowarczyk said, the liberal candidate in the state Supreme Court race, Susan Crawford, previously asked the courts to abolish voter ID. 

“Voter ID has been working well in Wisconsin for years,” he said. “Contrary to one argument by opponents, having voter ID has not depressed turnout. In 2012, before the voter ID law, general election turnout was 70.14 percent; last year, it rose to 72.6 percent.” 

Piwowarczyk, a former law enforcement officer, was elected in November on a platform that includes election integrity, strengthening the economy and immigration enforcement, as well as improving public safety. 

The language of the amendment that has passed the Senate reads: “Photographic identification for voting. Shall section 1m of article III of the constitution be created to require that voters present valid photographic identification verifying their identity in order to vote in any election, subject to exceptions which may be established by law?”

Evers begs to differ

Meanwhile, Gov. Tony Evers says it’s not fair that the legislature can propose constitutional amendments but that the voters themselves can’t, and so he said in his new budget he will ask for the legislature to approve a constitutional amendment that would give voters a direct ballot initiative.

In one of his weekly radio addresses, Evers said it’s just plain wrong that the state doesn’t give voters an opportunity to directly pass many of the policies he has proposed.

“Over the past few years, I’ve proposed legislation to expand BadgerCare, legalize marijuana, restore Roe v. Wade and defend reproductive freedom, enact common-sense gun safety reform, expand paid family leave, create a nonpartisan redistricting process, and among so many other proposals that we know a majority of Wisconsinites support,” Evers said. “Because I believe the will of the people should be the law of the land. Unfortunately, even though these common-sense policies have broad public support from Wisconsinites, Republican lawmakers have repeatedly obstructed our efforts and ignored the will of the people.”

Evers told listeners that 20 other states have direct ballot initiatives, but Wisconsin voters have no such recourse when the Legislature fails to enact policies that have broad public support. 

“Republican lawmakers shouldn’t be able to ignore the will of the people and then prevent the people from having a voice when legislators fail to listen,” he said. “That has to change. So, this week, I announced I am including a provision in my budget to require the Legislature to allow Wisconsinites to pass binding referenda and enact statutory and constitutional changes through a majority vote at the ballot box.”

Evers said it was only right that voters have a say and a voice in state laws and the questions that appear on their ballots. 

“If Republican lawmakers are going to continue to try and legislate by constitutional amendment, then they should give Wisconsinites the same opportunity,” he said. “It’s that simple. And that’s what we’ll be asking Republicans to do in my next budget. Let’s get to work, and let’s get it done, folks.”

Richard Moore is the author of “Dark State” and may be reached at richardd3d.substack.com.