State Senator Lazich Issues Statement about Voter ID Bill

Wisconsin's controversial Voter ID bill is moving forward through the state legislature. Just yesterday, Feb. 24, a state senate committee voted to move the bill to a third reading. Lazich is chairwoman of that committee.

Senate Democrats did not participate in the vote because they are still in Illinois in order to prevent a vote on Governor Scott Walker's budget repair bill.

State Democrats have fought against a Voter ID bill because they say it will make voting more difficult for minorities and seniors. Only three states currently require a photo ID for voting. Kansas and Missouri today, Feb. 24, passed measures in their state house and senate, respectively, that would require all voters to show ID.

Here is Lazich's full statement:

I am pleased this important piece of legislation took another step forward. Ensuring integrity of elections is of utmost importance in our democracy. Requiring voters to show photo identification is a reasonable step and one that is constitutional.

During 2008 the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Indiana’s voter ID law. The court found the state’s interest in preventing voter fraud, modernizing elections and promoting public confidence in the integrity of the electoral process outweighed the limited burden upon voters’ rights. Today, we advance those three constitutionally-tested interests in Wisconsin.

When this bill is finally signed into law, it will provide Wisconsin voters more confidence in the integrity of their elections and will not disenfranchise legitimate voters.