In response to criticism from a state senator, student leaders introduced a campaign to reaffirm their support for a city ordinance Monday that requires landlords to provide voter registration forms to all new tenants.
The ordinance, which has been in effect since July, requires landlords to give registration forms to all new tenants as part of a packet of other required papers. The Associated Students of Madison student government supported passage of the ordinance through a resolution earlier this year.
In a July press release, state Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, criticized the Madison Common Council for passing the ordinance, saying it imposes more rules on already over-regulated landlords and that providing the forms could be interpreted as forcing tenants to vote, which is prohibited by a state statute.
ASM Press Office Director David Gardner, whointroduced the campaign during an ASM Legislative Affairs Committee meeting, said the requirement is essential to address previous problems with student confusion over registering at a new address.
“It’s very, very important that as students we assert our position on this,” Gardner said. “Our student representative body passed the resolution supporting students’ right to vote … and this is very much going against that and … clouding the issue and putting a lot of partisanship into the issue.”
Gardner said he fears Grothman will contest the ordinance in court or move to strengthen the state statute in a way that will nulify the ordinance.
Gardner asked for the help of committee members to communicate with the campus community and reiterate why the policy is important.
