The Wisconsin State Assembly held a hearing Wednesday on a bill that would require voters to show photo identification at the polls and make other significant changes to the electoral process.
A voter ID proposal has been in the works for months, with the most recent version introduced by state Rep. Jeff Stone, R-Greendale.
In Stone's proposal, voters would be required to show photo ID at the polls but would still be allowed to register at the polls. This provision was not included in previous proposals.
Stone's bill also moves the September primary election to August and requires that people give specific reasons to receive absentee ballots. It takes away the straight-party-vote feature on ballots.
The majority of people in attendance opposed the bill, saying it would be costly and disenfranchise voters, specifically students, the elderly, and the poor.
Madison resident Joel Gratz said that if the state were broke, as many lawmakers have stated, it would be impossible to pay for the bill.
""If you're being truthful with us that we're broke, you must not pass this bill at this time,"" Gratz said.
Historian and UW-Madison graduate Allen Ruff said this proposal would suppress voters and discourage people from participating in the democratic process.
""Any problems with democracy are remedied by more democracy, not the limitation of it,"" Ruff said.
Ald. Scott Resnick, District 8, said the bill unfairly targets college students because most students do not have the means to travel to a DMV from campus to obtain a photo ID.
Republicans have proposed bringing mobile DMVs to college campuses so students could easily obtain a photo ID to vote, but Resnick said this would not be cost-effective.
""I just don't think for a cost mechanism, that this is really worth the states time,"" Resnick said.
Brookfield resident Todd Hoskins was one of the few to speak in favor of the bill. He said the proposal would eliminate election fraud and the extra effort required to register would result in voters being more informed.
""We need to ensure, going forward, that the elections are honest,"" Hoskins said.
State Sen. Joseph Leibham, R-Sheboygan, said he hopes a voter ID bill will be in effect by the 2012 election.
""I'm confident that this Legislature and Gov. Walker will be adopting some form of a photo ID requirement within the next couple of months,"" Leibham said.
