Voters in Oconto County, and across Wisconsin, do not need to show a photo ID to vote at the Nov. 4 election.
On Oct. 9, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned an earlier 7th Circuit Court of Appeals decision that had reinstated the photo ID law. The law had been enjoined by the courts since March 2012.
According to the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, the Supreme Court’s order is not the final word on the legality of Wisconsin’s voter photo ID law, but it does set the rules for the November general election.
The Supreme Court halted enforcement of the law for the time being to avoid voter confusion and because some voters had already been mailed absentee ballots without instructions on how to comply with the voter photo ID law.
The Supreme Court might decide to hear the case on its merits sometime after the November election.
Even though voters will not have to show an ID to receive a ballot at this election, voters who are registering between now and election day may use their driver’s license or state ID card to establish their residence if the documents contain a current address.
All voters must show proof of residence to register to vote, and a driver’s license or state ID card with a current address are just two of many documents they can use to prove they are residents. A full list is available at gab.wi.gov/publications/voter-guides/proof-of-residence.
Also, voters who have a Wisconsin driver’s license or state ID card are required to provide the card number on the voter registration form. Voters who do not have a driver’s license or state ID card can use the last four digits of their Social Security number instead.
Oconto County Clerk Kim Pytleski said absentee voters who may have received a letter in recent weeks telling them to provide a photocopy of their ID card may disregard the letter.
Because the Supreme Court may someday reinstate voter photo ID in Wisconsin, the GAB is advising anyone who does not have a state ID card to take advantage of the opportunity to get one for free. The Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles has a process to allow people to obtain a free state ID card for voting purposes, even if the person does not have a birth certificate.
For specific questions about voting, call the county clerk’s office at 920-834-6800.
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