MADISON, WI – In a victory for election security, the State Assembly has approved a proposed amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution that will generally require voters to present a valid photo ID at their polling place.
The proposed amendment will appear on the April 1 spring general election ballot in the form of the following question:
Shall section 1m of article III of the constitution be created to require that voters present valid photographic identification verifying their identity in order to vote in any election, subject to exceptions which may be established by law?
“Secure elections are fundamental to a functioning democracy,” State Rep. Dave Armstrong (R-Rice Lake) said. “Part of this is ensuring that voters are who they say they are. A commonsense photo ID requirement for voters has been part of the Wisconsin Statutes for years, but given the importance of election integrity, it makes sense to protect this safeguard by putting it into the state constitution. I supported this proposal last session, when it came up for the first time, and I voted for it again today.”
The Wisconsin Legislature must pass a proposed constitutional amendment in two consecutive legislative sessions in order for the proposal to get a statewide referendum vote.
The voter ID amendment is the latest in a series of election security measures the Wisconsin Legislature has proposed for inclusion in the Wisconsin Constitution. During the 2023-2024 legislative session, the Legislature passed constitutional amendments to ensure that only US citizens can vote in Wisconsin elections and to forbid election officials from using private funds, sometimes called “Zuckerbucks”, to administer elections. Wisconsin voters ratified both measures.
Last Update: Jan 15, 2025 7:22 am CST
