As the time has come for political candidates to start rallying support for upcoming campaigns and for antsy voters to study up on their prospective policy leaders, it is no surprise that new proposals regarding fair and honest elections are in the works. The recent initiative to require Wisconsin voters to produce a valid photo ID in order to mark their ballots is necessary, appropriate and a step in the right direction toward candid and impartial elections.
While people can easily succeed at illegally voting twice or under a pseudonym, this obligatory plan has support from Wisconsin's senators and its Republican Party chair members. According to a press release from the Republican Party of Wisconsin on Feb. 27, this photo ID requisite at voter registration time is needed in order to reinstate a sense of honor in Wisconsin's elections.
"The photo ID requirement is vital to the integrity of our elections in Wisconsin," Brad Courtney, chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, said in the release. Mr. Courtney added that the initiative will not only restore confidence in our state's electoral process, but a feeling of unanimity among the two political parties will also result due to a reinvigorated and more honest political culture.
"The integrity of our electoral process is an issue that should unite Republicans and Democrats, [as] it is crucial to our democratic way of life," Courtney said. I agree with Mr. Courtney and feel this hands-on approach to restoring the veracity of Wisconsin's voting process will ensure more forthright elections.
Although the production of a legitimate photo ID requirement is backed by both political parties throughout all of the polled counties in Wisconsin, I found it interesting that the percentage of Democrats who support the requirement was much lower than that of the Republicans. According to a press release from state Sen. Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, that was made public this past Friday, Wood Communications of Madison surveyed 500 potential voters in March 2001 on their opinions of the initiative. Fifty-five percent of likely voters who considered themselves Democrats supported the photo ID requirement while an outstanding 81 percent of those who considered themselves Republicans favored the proposal.
Despite the fact that those numbers may be different today, it is still shocking to me that there were not rave 100 percents in both columns six years ago. Yet, there is much light at the end of the tunnel, as a combined 65 percent of the 500 polled "thought all voters should have to show photo identification before casting ballots." Furthermore, Mr. Courtney feels the proposal holds much promise if more Democrats will recognize the bill's benefits: "Hopefully, the Democrats in the Senate see the light and let the photo ID requirement come up for a vote," Courtney said.
With this potential cure-all initiative promising more honest and clean elections in Wisconsin, it baffles me that not all of our state's political frontrunners cannot see that the proposal's countless pros clearly outweigh its minimal cons. Apparently, it is thought that if Wisconsin voters are obliged to present a valid form of identification when they arrive at the voting booths, voter turnout rates will decrease. Capital Times Editor Dave Zweifel feels the photo ID requirement will cause unidentified voters to shy away from the polls. "Rutgers [University] Professor Tim Vercellotti told the Times that in states where voters were required to sign their names or show an identifying document, blacks were 5.7 percent less likely to vote compared to states where voters simply had to say their names," Zweifel reported Wednesday. He added that the push "to change existing laws" will only "make it tougher for folks to vote in an election." This passive outlook on the voting process in Wisconsin proves unacceptable; I rebuff any suggestion of a potential decline in voter turnout when the initiative at stake will only improve the status of our elections' reliability.
Consequently, I look forward to the more honest and immaculate elections Wisconsin will no doubt experience with the passage of this indispensable proposal. I say, saddle up all, both donkeys and elephants, and forbid the frauds to put the wrong candidate in any political office.
Meredith Togstad ([email protected]) is a sophomore intending to major in journalism and French.
