Tuesday’s recall primaries will be the first elections held since state Republicans passed a law requiring voters to present photo identification. But you do not have to show an ID card at the polls yet.
“The Legislature decided they wanted what you could call a ‘soft implementation.’ Photo ID is such a big change, and we don’t want to surprise anyone and have anyone be kept from voting when they don’t know about it,” says Reid Magney, spokesman for the state Government Accountability Board. It oversees elections.
This is what voters will experience Tuesday:
“You go in, you tell the election workers your name and your address, and they’re going to ask to see your ID. And if you don’t have one or don’t show them one, you’re going to get a piece of paper that explains that the law goes into effect in February of 2012,” Magney says.
But some aspects of the voter ID law have kicked in. Magney says voters cannot register in a ward unless they’ve lived in it for 28 consecutive days. That’s nearly triple the previous requirement of 10 days.
And voters will be required sign their name in the poll book, before receiving a ballot. Shorewood Village Clerk Sherry Grant says the signature is designed to prevent fraud.
“In the unlikely event that someone would attempt to impersonate a voter, law enforcement would then have forensic evidence that could be used to prosecute that offender,” Grant says.
Plus, Grant says, there’s a second reason for the change.
“When our inspectors are working on the poll lists every once and awhile they may write on the wrong line as far as the number that was assigned to the person. And with the person signing by their name, we will have an accurate record that that is the person who has voted,” Grant says.
Full Article: WUWM: News – Voter ID Phased in as Recall Elections Begin.