Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill Wednesday allowing Wisconsinites to register to vote online.
The measure allows anyone with a Wisconsin driver’s license or state-issued voting card to register online. It also eases voting for veterans by including veteran IDs as valid voter identification.
“Senate Bill 295 will create online voter registration, clean up our voter rolls, and make a number of other important reforms to modernize Wisconsin’s elections," said bill author state Sen. Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, in a press release.
Online voter registration will be available in 2017 after Wisconsin is enrolled in the Electronic Registration Information Center. ERIC is a nonprofit organization that shares voter data securely and will provide the state with information to identify duplicate registrations as well as voters no longer residing in a state.
“[The bill] makes it easier for Wisconsin veterans and seniors to vote and empowers our citizens to assist their communities in registering to vote,” Walker said in a press release. “The new online registration also ensures this process is more effective and brings Wisconsin elections into the 21st century. We remain focused on protecting the integrity of our state’s election process and this bill helps us accomplish that goal.”
LeMahieu claims that the move to establish an online system will reduce costs and curb potential for registration errors and fraud.
However, the bill also removes special registration deputies, who are volunteer election officials deputized by local clerks. Opponents say it would make voter registration more difficult for those without a Wisconsin driver’s license. Students protested at the state Capitol last month when the bill passed the state Assembly.
“By fighting this bill, we are really just trying to promote the student voice in elections and promote democracy,” said Sally Rohrer, chair of Associated Students of Madison's University Affairs Committee.
