Democrats Propose Major Changes to Wisconsin Primary Voting
MADISON (WKOW) — A group of Democratic lawmakers in Wisconsin is pushing for significant changes to the state’s primary voting system. Two new bills aim to enhance voter flexibility, responding to constituents’ demands for a more inclusive electoral process.
The first bill seeks to introduce split ticket voting during partisan primaries. Currently, voters must align with one party and can only select candidates from that party across all primaries. Under the proposed legislation, voters would gain the ability to choose candidates across party lines. For instance, a voter could support a Republican candidate for governor, a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, and an Independent candidate for Attorney General. Lawmakers, including Sen. Tim Carpenter and Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez, emphasized that this change addresses frequent complaints about the restrictive nature of primary ballots, advocating for a system that prioritizes candidates over party affiliation.
The second measure focuses on expanding acceptable voter ID forms at polling places. Presently, voters must present specific identification, such as a Wisconsin driver’s license or a U.S. passport. The new bill would allow the use of Real IDs from other states and U.S. territories. Proponents argue that since voters already prove residency when registering, allowing IDs from different states should not pose a problem. The sponsors, including Sen. Rob Wirch and Rep. Karen Kirsch, point out that Real IDs meet stringent federal security standards, making them reliable for identification at polling locations.
These proposed changes reflect a significant shift towards increasing voter accessibility and choice in Wisconsin, as lawmakers work to ensure that constituents can make electoral decisions without party limitations.
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