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4/9/2010
Rep. Petersen: Vote early, vote often
In Madison, politicians and bureaucrats are attempting to ram through sweeping changes to Wisconsin election laws. Fast tracking to passage, a nearly 100 page omnibus bill would make it easier to record votes from felons, illegal aliens, and other individuals ineligible to vote. Activist groups would also be afforded the ability to vote for residents without their knowledge.
Assembly Bill 895 and its companion Senate Bill 640, misleadingly called the Wisconsin Voter Protection Act, were introduced on March 24th. By April 1st both bills had public hearings and were passed out of committee on Democrat party line votes. This pre-Easter timeline was a calculated maneuver used to slip through contentious legislation unnoticed by the public.
As written, the bills would make Wisconsin one of the only states in the nation to register voters by directly using government databases without the electorates’ knowledge or consent. For example, bureaucrats at the Government Accountability Board (GAB) would gain access to the Department of Transportation databases and be required to add all licensed drivers to the statewide voter registration list.
Complete with personal information such as social security and driver’s license numbers, the statewide registration list and other databases the Government Accountability Board receives to maximize voter registration in Wisconsin could be transferred to other states and even groups similar to ACORN.
Additionally included in these bills is a provision for an unlimited number of absentee voting locations in any given district. These absentee voter or ‘motor voter’ locations can operate for up to 21 days prior to an election.
Election clerks will be required to honor these absentee ballots even if they are not signed by a qualifying witness or accompanied by a signed application. The potential for voter fraud in Wisconsin would be limitless.
Another aspect of the bills is government intimidation of those who challenge fraudulent voters. Under current law, any elector in the state can challenge suspected irregularly cast votes.
The Wisconsin Voter Protection Act would change the law to only allow residents of the same county to challenge a vote. In Milwaukee, the challenges are limited to aldermanic districts. Consequently, the bills curtail surveillance in the very city where most voter fraud has historically occurred.
Ironically, the person challenging the vote must provide proof of residence, but the actual voter never has to show identification to cast a vote in an election.
Fines are imposed up to $100,000 or 6 months in prison for those who deceive or intentionally prevent people from voting. No eligible citizen should ever be disenfranchised from their right to vote. However, the bill doesn’t impose the same $100,000 or 6 months in prison punishment for people who fraudulently vote. Instead, the penalty for illegally voting remains $10,000.
Significant concerns regarding the cost imposed on municipalities were raised during the bills’ public hearings. Municipalities will be mailing a large number of absentee ballots. The Government Accountability Board estimates hundreds of thousands of dollars in postage costs will be passed on to local communities.
Wisconsin should not be making it easier for convicted felons, illegal aliens, and activist groups similar to ACORN to vote early and vote often. Instead, the legislature’s actions must be directed at cracking down on fraud. Every fraudulent vote counted disenfranchises a legitimate voter.
Kevin Petersen is a Republican and represents the residents of the 40th Assembly District (Waupaca).
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• Lots of ideas. No money.
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