Wisconsin's proposed voter ID bill is beginning to face stiff opposition from state Democrats.

The Democratic Party of Wisconsin recently launched a Web site, protectmyvote.org, to show their displeasure with the bill.

The proposed voter ID bill, if passed, would require all Wisconsin voters to provide a picture ID when registering to vote and prior to voting, according to Eric Schutt, chief of staff for state Sen. Joe Leibham (R-Sheboygan), co-author of the bill.

He said IDs could be either a state driver's license or a state-issued photo identification card.

The Web site, which was started two weeks ago, provides statistical information and voter radio advertisements.

Kim Warkentin, executive director of the party, said the ads are designed to inform people about the potential effects of the proposed bill.

The ads emphasize the difficulties elderly voters would face under the proposed bill.

According to one ad found on the site, "70 percent of folks who don't have photo IDs are retirees or in rest homes."

"The fact that this bill would impact elderly people's ability to vote is a concern for us," Warkentin said.

She said the bill is an attempt by Wisconsin Republicans to silence the voice of groups who generally vote for Democrats, including both the elderly and college students.

"The bill would make it more difficult for certain groups of people to vote, and these groups are usually Democratic leaning voters," Warkentin said.

Many elderly people are no longer able to get out of the house to vote, and college students are less likely to venture out into a new city just to get a state ID card, according to Warkentin.

She said these are all factors that would add unnecessary obstacles for voters.

But those in favor of the proposed bill say it is a much-needed improvement.

"Adding the voter ID bill would restore integrity to the voting process," Schutt said.

He said voting for college students should not be a problem.

"They (students) could vote absentee in their own state," Schutt said, "but if they don't want to do that, state ID cards will be given away for free at local Department of Motor Vehicles offices."

There will still be a fee for Wisconsin driver's licenses, he said.

Schutt said there are also many exceptions written in the bill to ensure elderly voters will not feel disenfranchised.

Current voting laws say that people who are on the permanent absentee ballot list, mostly elderly citizens who do not leave their houses to vote, must have someone witness them vote and have that witness sign the outside of the envelope upon sending in the ballot.

This signature verifies voter identification and helps prevent voter fraud, according to Schutt.

If the voter ID bill becomes law, it would have little effect on permanent absentee ballot voters, he said.

"The only change that would occur for absentee voting is that the person who acts as the witness to the vote, besides signing the envelope, would also have to send in a short written statement with the ballot verifying the identity of the voter," Schutt said.

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on April 14 2005.