A countywide referendum will allow voters to voice their opinions on same day voter registration at the polls this Tuesday.
The referendum asks voters whether the state of Wisconsin should continue to allow people to register to vote at the polls on Election Day, according to Carrie Springer, spokesperson for the Office of the Dane County Executive.
Last year, a number of state legislators expressed interest in eliminating same day registration. Although the legislators have backed off the talks slightly, there is still the potential of a bill being drafted, Springer said.
According to Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell, the referendum is only advisory and will not actually affect voter registration.
“The referendum is more of a barometer of what the public feels about this topic,” McDonnel said.
Springer added the referendum will let state legislators know how voters feel about same day registration. The referendum draws attention to the issue for both voters and lawmakers, she said.
Several Dane County officials are backing the referendum, including McDonell and County Executive Joe Parisi.
“Parisi used to be a county clerk, so voting rights and making it easy for people to vote is something he is passionate about in his career,” Springer said.
Wisconsin has one of the highest voter turnouts in the nation, Springer said. Parisi has consistently said this is something to be proud of and there should be no barriers to voting, she said.
McDonell said he supported the referendum because he would like to see greater access to the polls and greater efficiency for the voting system in Wisconsin.
The county is staffed with clerks on election days, McDonell said. It would be difficult to gauge the amount of staffing needed to register voters on nonelection days if same day registration were to end, he said.
The Government Accountability Board issued a report showing it could cost the state around $14 million to eliminate same day registration.
Springer said she feels there is significant support in Dane County for the referendum, as many people in Dane County use same day registration.
According to a Dane County statement, around 10 to 15 percent of voters in the county register to vote on election day.
Not only new voters use the service, but anyone who needs to update their information, especially if they have moved. People only have to make one trip, Springer said.
McDonell added same day voter registration is particularly important for Dane County because of the high student population in the area.
Students move many times per year, and if students have moved and they have not registered their new address, McDonnel said the ability to register on election days offers them greater access to the polls.
Springer said students should have an equal opportunity to vote, so the state should not be making it more difficult for them to vote simply because they move every year.
“It is a convenience I think most voters in Dane County would be supportive of,” Springer said.
