Wisconsin’s Government Accountability Board (GAB) has asked Wisconsin lawmakers for $250,000 slated to pay for a series of statewide TV, radio and online campaigns that will educate voters about the state's voter photo ID law, according to Reid Magney with the GAB.
Magney and GAB officials say the marketing campaign is intended to raise awareness about the new law.
“We need to remind voters to bring their IDs to the polling place before the Partisan Primary in August and the Presidential Election in November,” said Kevin Kennedy, Wisconsin’s chief elections official. “We also need to let people know how they can get a free state ID for voting, even if they don’t have their birth certificate," he added.
The law, which went into effect in 2015, requires voters to show a government-issued ID when voting.
In addition to legal challenges, civil rights groups and activists have been critical of the bill saying it makes it more difficult for seniors, students, and the poor to vote because many do not have driver’s licenses.
On Wednesday, Gov. Scott Walker enacted emergency rules that will allow people working to obtain state photo identification without the proper underlying documents to vote with a receipt, reports the Associated Press.
According to the AP, Gov. Walker's move comes before a federal trial begins Monday in a lawsuit alleging that obtaining free state IDs for voting is so difficult people are giving up.
In a news release issued by Gov. Walker's office, the lawsuit wasn’t mentioned, and the governor's spokesman had no immediate comment to the AP on whether the timing has anything to do with the trial.
In January, Gov. Walker appointed two new retired judges to serve on the GAB before it is dissolved. In December, Gov. Walker signed legislation that eliminates the non-partisan board, and replaces it with partisan commissions.
The GAB is charged with enforcing Wisconsin laws pertaining to campaign finance, elections, ethics, and lobbying.
Kevin J. Kennedy, who has served on the board as Wisconsin’s election chief since 1982, announced Monday that he will retire June 29, 2016.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
