By the staff of AFP
Concerned that radical far-left activists could undermine election integrity in the future, Wisconsinites recently voted overwhelmingly in favor of an amendment to the state’s constitution that says voters must show photo identification when casting their ballots. As of the last national election in November 2024, 37 states have now enacted similar laws to make sure U.S. elections will continue to be secure.
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“This will help maintain integrity in the electoral process, no matter who controls the legislature,” announced state Sen. Van Wanggaard (R), who co-authored the amendment.
Conservatives have long argued that voter ID is a critical step in safeguarding election security, given that liberal activists have been agitating for removing the requirement so that anyone can vote even illegal immigrants. Radical activists have argued that these laws disenfranchise minorities, who, they claim, often do not have any form of identification—an absurd stance since showing an official photo ID is commonplace around the country for even everyday activities like buying alcohol, driving a car, and boarding an airplane.
Wisconsin already had a law in place that required ID at the voting booth. That requirement had been enacted in 2011 under Gov. Scott Walker (R), but it did not take effect until 2015 due to multiple court challenges, which were eventually tossed out.
Even though Wisconsin is not considered to be a conservative state, the constitutional amendment won by a sizable margin, with 63% of the electorate backing it. Its governor, Tony Evers, is a Democrat—though he is a moderate—while Republicans control the legislature.
Wisconsin has joined many other Democrat-run states that believe you can’t have election integrity if you don’t ask people to confirm their identity. Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Kentucky, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Washington are a few of the states with Democrat governors that have enacted some form of voter ID laws. Even Michigan, led by far-left Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, requires voters to show ID when they vote, though there are avenues for voters if they do not have an official state or military ID, like signing an affidavit of identity that the election agency will then keep on file for the voter.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), a bipartisan research organization, even the remaining 14 states and Washington, D.C., that do not have specific laws that require voters show proof of identity when they go to vote, are stepping up their game to ensure election integrity with other methods.
“Most frequently, other identifying information provided at the polling place, such as a signature, is checked against information on file,” reports NCSL.
Following reports that the law passed on the evening of April 1, President Donald Trump took to social media to echo what many conservatives felt about this election victory.
“Voter ID just approved in Wisconsin election,” wrote Trump. “Democrats fought hard against this, presumably so they can cheat. This is a big win for Republicans.”
The truth is, this is a big win for every American voter, whether they know it or not.
