While the less than 250 voter ID cards issued in the last three weeks seems like a small amount on a campus of 40,000 students, one student leader said it is a decent turnout considering major elections are still nine months away.
Still, Legislative Affairs Chair Hannah Somers said she is optimistic more students will obtain a card, which is required for out-of-state students to vote in elections.
“I’m hoping that that number increases especially as bigger elections start coming up,” Somers said.
The Wiscard office began issuing Voter ID cards in response to a new Wisconsin law that requires voters to present valid state-issued photo identification at the polls.
Students can present their WisCard at the Union South’s Wiscard office, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to receive a UW-Madison voter ID card.
The UW-Madison voter ID cards are marked "VOTER IDENTIFICATION" and expire two years from the issued date.
To help improve awareness of who needs a voter ID card to vote and how to obtain one, Somers said Legislative Affairs launched an instructional video featuring Bucky Badger receiving his voter ID card.
"I think that when people see that video it will make it a little more clear about who exactly needs to get [a voter ID card] and how simple it is," she said.
The video, which will be sent to students via e-mail, is currently available on UW’s website home page <</span> http://www.wisc.edu/>.
