The Associated Students of Madison delivered 450 paper valentine hearts to the office of Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, Monday, representing the 450 UW-Madison students registered to vote by Special Registration Deputies (SRDs) this year, according to an ASM release.
The Wisconsin State Senate passed Bill 295 Feb. 9, which would permit limited online voter registration while prohibiting future registration via SRD.
ASM Chair Madison Laning expressed concern that the elimination of SRDs would hinder some students’ ability to vote easily.
“If every taxpayer in the state were able to register online it would make more sense to eliminate special registration deputies,” Laning said. “But the reality is that thousands of students who moved here from other states do not have the identification necessary to register under this bill.”
Laning said Bill 295 could worsen the economy and deprive students of a sense of belonging on campus.
Students will have to update their addresses on the Department of Transportation website if they live in a different location than listed on their Wisconsin ID or driver’s license, according to the release.
If the state makes it more difficult to register to vote, fewer people will, said ASM Legislative Affairs Committee Chair Carmen Goséy.
“It is crucial to encourage students to be civically engaged,” Goséy said in the release. “Special registration deputies offer greater accessibility and when a student votes once they are most likely to vote again.”
