MADISON, Wis. — Voters in Wisconsin’s statewide April election won’t just be deciding control of the state Supreme Court or who will lead the state’s public school system – they’ll also be choosing whether to protect the state’s voter photo ID laws in the Wisconsin Constitution.
Wisconsin’s voter ID laws are some of the strictest in the nation, according to the National Council of State Legislatures. They were created by Republicans in 2011 and went into effect in 2016 after several legal challenges against them failed.
Democrats argue the laws are too strict and make it difficult for some people to vote.
At the polls, Wisconsin voters are required to present a valid photo ID such as a drivers license, U.S. passport, or military ID card. Absentee voters are required to have a copy of their ID on file with their local clerk. Voters without a photo ID on their person can still cast a provisional ballot on Election Day. They must then provide poll workers with their ID by 8 p.m. on Election Day or show their ID to their local clerk by 4 p.m. on the Friday after the election.
Watch: Confused by the voter ID question on your April ballot? Here's what it means
A proposed constitutional amendment on the April 1 ballot in Wisconsin asks voters to decide whether existing voter ID laws should be enshrined in the state constitution. Republicans who control the state Legislature rushed earlier this year to get this proposal on the ballot alongside the election for state Supreme Court.
The last state Supreme Court race flipped the court to liberal control for the first time in 15 years, and the new majority has since issued several major rulings in favor of Democrats. Republicans worry that voter ID laws could be a target for future lawsuits.
Placing voter ID laws in the state constitution would not change how voter ID works in Wisconsin. It would just make it much more difficult for lawmakers or courts to undo the laws in the future.
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