Voter ID, Recall Drama Means It's ON, Wisconsin

[Image courtesy of FranklinNow]

Recall Elections Blog’s Joshua Spivak recently did an epic must-read post about the impending Wisconsin gubernatorial recall – or, as he calls it, the “Dairy State Demolition Derby“.

That recall is looking more and more like a reality in the wake of Governor Walker’s announcement that he will not challenge the signatures on the recall petitions. If the state Government Accountability Board certifies the petitions, it will set off a series of elections in which Badger State voters will decide whether to remove their Governor (and Lt. Governor and several state Senators) and if so, with whom to replace him (them).

This may end up being a feast for political junkies, but it’s just as filling for election geeks. Wisconsin also happens to be one of the states with a new photo ID requirement enacted following the 2010 elections – and the only state in the nation to combine photo ID with Election Day registration. This combination already has Wisconsin election officials studying how to cope with the likely onslaught of voters at the polls.

If nothing else, Wisconsin should be a fantastic real-world opportunity to measure the impact of voter ID – who has it, who doesn’t and what it will mean at the polls. In short, if there are any voters who will need ID, it’s a good bet that they will try to get it (or get help to do so) – which will give us a much better picture of ID’s potential impact. By the time Wisconsin voters run the full recall gauntlet, we should know if the true numbers of otherwise eligible voters who lack ID is in the dozens, hundreds or thousands.

And then, most likely, everyone will have to dust themselves off and have a Presidential election.

It’s On, Wisconsin indeed.