Although a new state law disallows students from using their student ID as identification to vote, Dean of Students Lori Berquam said UW-Madison will provide students access to identification cards that will allow them to vote.
Under the new law, student IDs are acceptable voter identification if they have an issuance date, expiration date within two years of the issuance date and a student signature. UW-Madison's IDs do not meet the requirements.
At an Associated Students of Madison meeting Wednesday, Berquam said university administration is considering two ways of attaining eligible voter identification for students.
""We've been working very steadily on this,"" Berquam said.
In the first option, which Berquam said she favored, WISCards would be altered to fulfill voter ID requirements, costing the around $500,000.
The second option would give students a new card supplementary to their student ID to serve as voter ID, costing the university around $100,000. However, the card would be valid for two years.
Berquam said the Government Accountability Board will meet Nov. 9 to decide what option they would prefer the university use.
ASM Rep. Libby Wick-Bander said she feared the university would have difficulty completing either form of identification by when students would need them to vote.
Berquam said the WISCard office is ready to make the IDs as soon as administrators determine which form to invest in. She said the IDs will be ready in time for students to vote in the Feb. 21 election.
Legislative Affairs Chair Hannah Somers proposed legislation at Wednesday's student council meeting requesting administration determine the procedure for
implementing voter ID compliant student IDs by Oct. 26.
The legislation also urges administration to lobby for state funding for the IDs.
