The Department of Transportation (DOT) would be required to be more upfront that ID’s required for voting are free, under a bill being circulated by a Democratic state lawmaker.
Normally, an ID would cost $28 dollars. But for those people who just need an ID for voting purposes, it’s free under the new voter ID law. But Democratic Sen. Lena Taylor of Milwaukee says the law is still causing confusion for voters.
“You can do this, but you can’t do that. You’ve got to jump through this hoop and not that hoop,” says Taylor. “I just want to make sure that the DOT is doing the piece that complements so that the concept of whether or not you need to have an ID and whether or not you need to pay for it, that there is no confusion.”
Taylor’s bill would require the DOT to make clear in writing to anyone who goes to a Department of Motorized Vehicles center that a free ID is available for the purpose of voting. Right now, DMV workers aren’t legally required to inform customers that the ID is free.
Kristina Boardman is the director of the DMV bureau of field services. She says getting the free ID is as simple as checking the box marked “Identification Card” on the application. She says as long as eligible people check that specific box, they can get it for free.
There’s been some controversy recently over the process of obtaining a free ID because of a YouTube video that shows a Wisconsin woman trying to obtain an ID for her son and encountering some confusion from DMV workers.
The Government Accountability Board says it’ll mount campaigns in early January to educate voters about the particulars of the Voter ID law.
Full Article: Proposal would mean more communication from state about free voter IDs | Superior Telegram | Superior, Wisconsin.