This subject has been visited before, and, unfortunately, will probably be visited again before we've achieved the proper result.
The Journal Sentinel editorialized on August 8th about the new Wisconsin voter registration system...delivered more than two years after the deadline and with cost overruns (but who is surprised with that outcome). The editorial opinion was that photo IDs for voters were simply to be taken off the table now that this system was up and running.
On August 12th, an article appeared citing two different organizations for apparent violations in registering voters that had resulted in criminal referrals. Those two organizations are the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) and the Community Voters Project. ACORN leaders were quoted as saying then that they had found between 200 and 300 improper voter registrations cards turned in by their workers.
On August 20th, Sue Edman, Executive Director of the Milwaukee Election Commission raised the total count of election workers forwarded to the DA to a total of 39.
This all points to the simple fact that voter photo ID is appropriate; in fact it is an absolute necessity. Even with the focus having been placed on these registration organizations, they are still sending through cards that are sufficiently questionable as to warrant the district attorney's office investigating.
Beyond this, we still have same day registration that permits even greater levels of election fraud to be foisted upon those of us who are properly registered and qualified voters. It is very possible, since the voter organizations have the records of names registered, that people can be corralled to vote using one of those false names. Without photo ID, that is significantly more easily accomplished.
Wisconsin had among the slimmest margins to be found in the country in our last major election. Every indication is that this will be the case in this year's Presidential election, too. If only 1% of the registered voters are invalid, they can easily swing the results given the voter apathy that exists even in Presidential races. The numbers of registered voters always is considerably higher than those of actual voters.
Photo IDs will not keep citizens from the polls. That is a bogus argument.
Most of us understand exactly what has been going on for years. Activist groups seek out the potential voter most likely to represent their political interest. There are far more liberal activist groups than conservative activist groups. These groups stop at little, not even the law in these instances it appears, to get their chosen people registered and out to vote. Cigarettes were the pay-off in a fairly recent Milwaukee election with the 'voters' recruited from the Rescue Mission. Slashed tires were another ploy aimed at the Republican Party in another recent election.
Much of my group of acquaintances is conservative (surprise, surprise), and virtually all of them recognize that this activity is most often aimed at electing liberal candidates. When was the last time you can identify a story about illegal voter registration tied to conservatives?
It is way past time for voter photo ID!
