The state elections board will ask lawmakers for $250,000 to publicize Wisconsin’s new voter ID requirement in the lead-up to the November election. The co-chairman of the Legislature’s budget panel, Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, said Tuesday that he expects it to “seriously consider” the request. Providing “$250,000, to assure every vote is counted, I don’t think is a problem,” Nygren told the Wisconsin State Journal. The Government Accountability Board approved the request on a 4-2 vote at its regular meeting Tuesday. Judges Harold Froehlich and Timothy Vocke were the dissenting votes.
The vote means the board will ask the Joint Finance Committee for the funds, likely later this spring, board spokesman Reid Magney said.
The board developed an ad campaign to raise awareness of the requirement but said it doesn’t have the money to put it on the airwaves.
Wisconsin’s requirement for voters to show photo IDs at the polls is in effect in statewide elections for the first time this year. It was approved in 2011 but largely has not been in effect since, due to a string of court challenges.
Full Article: Elections board to ask lawmakers for funds to publicize voter ID | State and Regional | journaltimes.com.