Most students are unaware that their right to vote is currently up for discussion at the Capitol. The senate bill proposal requires that to vote, one must have an ID with a current address. While this may seem logical, it completely disenfranchises the student voice in Wisconsin politics. Aimed at decreasing ""voter fraud,"" the bill would drastically decrease voter turnout, and Wisconsin would plummet from having very progressive voting laws to a system worse than any other state in the union. Wisconsin has repeatedly had some of the highest voter turnout rates, especially amongst students. This bill is targeted at students, especially those from out of state. We as students have a right to vote on matters that affect us, political and governmental changes matter while we are in school. Discouraging the student voice like this will only harm the state's retention rate of UW graduates. Also, getting a current photo ID would not only burden students, but also cost the state because more locations, government workers and paid hours would be required to be legal.
Do some research; figure out exactly how this bill will affect your voice as a student. What to do next? Speak out. Contact your legislator—either your hometown representative or your representatives on campus. If you are from Wisconsin, write to your hometown papers—the general public needs to hear straight from our lips how horrible this bill would be for students. Talk to your friends—the more students who know about this attack on our fundamental rights the more successful we will be in opposing this bill.
If you have any questions about the bill, don't hesitate to contact the Save the Student Voice: Fight SB6 group on Facebook, or e-mail us at fightsb6@gmail.com.
