State Rep. Joel Kleefisch, R-Oconomowoc, and state Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, sought cosponsors to a bill seeking to ban statewide same-day voter registration Wednesday, prompting responses from officials around Wisconsin.
Gov. Scott Walker, in statements to several news outlets after Darling and Kleefisch announced their plan, said he would support the ban, but does not think it requires immediate attention.
Bob Delaporte, Darling’s communications director, said in an email Thursday Darling agrees with Walker and will only pursue the ban in addition to more important state issues.
“[Same-day registration] is an issue we will work on, but our priority is to create jobs, balance the budget and improve the state’s economy,” Delaporte said. “We expect to be very busy next session.”
However, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi said in a Wednesday interview that pursuing the ban could have negative consequences by reversing progress Dane County has made on voter turnout.
“Now is not the time to compromise the success we have experienced in engaging more people in [the democratic] process,” he said.
