Assembly Bill 7, commonly known as the voter I.D. bill, was introduced in February and aims to counteract voter fraud in Wisconsin's polling places. However, the bill has caused uproar among protesters, who argue the bill does more to suppress voters than it does to counteract voter fraud, a problem Democrats say does not exist in Wisconsin.
According to a statement released by the bill's author, state Sen. Joe Leibham, R-Sheboygan, there are provisions within the bill that protect against voter disenfranchisement.
If a voter cannot afford to purchase one of the valid forms of identification, the state will waive the fee to obtain one. Voters residing in nursing homes or other care facilities who rely on voter deputies will not have to follow the requirement.
The legislation demands voters be residents of their respective districts for at least 28 days before voting. In addition, it eliminates the straight-ticket voting option and requires voters to sign a poll list before receiving their ballots.
Walker applauded the Legislature for passing the bill, which he called ""common sense legislation.""
""Protecting the integrity of our elections is central to ensuring our government has the full faith and confidence of the citizens it represents,"" Walker said in a statement.
State Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, criticized members of the legislature for not thoroughly examining the effects of the bill and the problems of implementing it.
""We don't even know what the bill does,"" Erpenbach said. "" [Leibham] doesn't even know what the bill does.""
State Sen. Spencer Coggs, D-Milwaukee, argued the bill ""[holds] hostage"" the 3.8 million people who voted fairly because of the 11 reports of voter fraud among felons in the last election. Coggs also predicted the bill would have negative consequences for marginalized populations and African-American communities.
""This bill has a chilling effect on the vote of the majority of the state of Wisconsin. But when the majority gets the chill, the African-American community … gets pneumonia,"" Coggs said.
State Sen. Frank Lasee, R- De Pere, the sole Republican to speak Thursday, defended the bill on grounds that identification cards are requested in numerous circumstances, that nearly everyone has some form of valid identification and that obtaining one at a Department of Motor Vehicles is not difficult.
""The vast majority of our citizens want to make sure that their vote is a legal vote and that all the votes out there are legal votes,"" Lasee said. ""One fraudulent vote cancels out a legal vote. The other side doesn't seem to care.""
State Sen. Bob Jauch, D- Poplar, criticized the Republican majority, saying it has gone ""bezerk"" with power.
""This bill is more like the behavior in countries where leaders are despised by Americans, not admired,"" Jauch said.
State Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, accused the Republican majority of ""bending over backwards"" for the corporate world.
""If you can't win fair, you want to change the rules,"" Taylor said. ""What are you thinking or are you not thinking at all?""
