A Department of Transportation official defended the DOT from critics Wednesday after The Capital Times released an internal memo in which the official told transportation employees not to voluntarily inform customers of free voter identification.
According to the Voter ID law passed in May, voters must provide a valid form of photo ID at the poll in order to cast a vote. The legislation stipulates that voters may receive a free identification card from the state Department of Transportation upon request.
Steve Krieser, who was in charge of overseeing day-to-day operations of DOT customer service desks released the memo July 1, the first day the DOT could issue free IDs under the new law. Krieser has since been promoted to DOT executive assistant.
The memo read ""while you should certainly help customers who come in asking for a free ID to check the appropriate box, refrain from offering the free version to customers who do not ask for it.""
The memo was meant to explain rules of the new policy for DMV employees prior to the new law's implementation, Krieser explained in an interview with The Daily Cardinal.
State Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, criticized the DOT for using a ""bait-and-switch"" tactic in which customers would unknowingly spend $28 on an ID they could get for free.
""Helping people obtain a free ID card to vote should be no different than any other service the [DOT] offers as an agent of the people of this state,"" Erpenbach said in a statement. ""This is a job that has been assigned to [the DOT] by the Legislature and one we expect [the DOT] to do without prejudice.""
But Krieser said even though employees do not actively inform all customers of the free ID alternative, there are signs posted at the DMV building that explain the eligibility requirements to receive a free ID.
""If a person certifies that they want the ID for free because they need it for the purpose of voting, we are not going to do any further investigation,"" Krieser said.
""That is their certification and they are going to get the ID for free.""
Krieser said while the memo encouraged employees not to discuss the free IDs voluntarily in order to save time during appointments and keep the DOT running efficiently, its main objective is to obey the law the Legislature approved.
