Conservatively Speaking

Election clerks blast Democrats' proposed voting changes

Posted by Mary Lazich on April 16, 2010

Legislation

Municipal election clerks from around Wisconsin voiced deep concerns about proposed legislation by state Democrats they say will harm the integrity of the state’s voting system. Clerks spoke at a state Capitol news conference Wednesday, the same day Wisconsin Attorney J.B. Van Hollen issued a news release criticizing the proposed election law changes. Van Hollen writes:

“The following changes increased the potential for or impaired the investigation of election fraud:

• Populating the official statewide voter registration list with persons who are not registered to vote;
• Not requiring signatures to confirm voter registration, whereas signatures are required for all registrations under current law;
• Enabling citizens to obtain and submit an absentee ballot in-person, without needing to certify with a signature or have ballot witnessed, unlike current law.”

In a letter to state legislative leaders asking that the legislation be rejected, Van Hollen writes, “The changes proposed in this bill neither enhance the right to vote nor protect against fraud.  Instead, they make election fraud more likely, chill the lawful exercise of speech that is at the core of the First Amendment, and jeopardize the orderly administration of election laws."

There are 1,851 municipal clerks in Wisconsin. Becky Simpson, the clerk in the village of Dane told reporters at the Capitol news conference the legislation would be an unfunded mandate requiring additional staff and resources that would cost clerks statewide $3.2 million. Simpson says the number of absentee ballots cast will continue to increase, and if one percent of absentee ballots statewide are marked incorrectly, 34,000 votes would be tossed without the voters’ knowledge.

Diane Hermann-Brown, clerk for the city of Sun Prairie says the one resource absent from the legislation is the time necessary for clerks to handle the assured increase in absentee ballots.

“Clerks need time to protect the voter’s rights,” said Hermann-Brown. “We are only human and can do so much for so little for so long. When and how are we going to be able to process these additional absentee ballots?”

Hermann-Brown expressed concern about waiting lines at the polls that will only get longer and potentially dissuade voters. Hermann-Brown also worries about the potential of Saturday mail delivery being eliminated that would affect the absentee ballot process.

Diana Dykstra, clerk for the city of Lake Geneva lacks confidence in a provision that would automatically register an individual to vote when the individual registers an automobile.

“Register at DMV (Division of Motor Vehicles)? Are you kidding? The DMV is already the busiest and most under-staffed location,” said Dykstra. “The DMV does not have a GIS system to verify addresses.”

Dykstra has another concern. “On-line registration is not safe. With identity theft on the rise, you are not 100 percent sure your information is secure.”

Dykstra believes the increased cost of the proposed election law changes will be passed on to taxpayers. She questioned why the legislation is being rushed.

The proposed election changes are contained in Senate Bill 640 and Assembly Bill 895. My Republican colleagues and I have grave concerns that this last minute power grab in the final days of the legislative session will open the door to increased voter fraud.