Wisconsin voters have a number of critical choices to make at the ballot box this November. The U.S. Presidency, political control of the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives and the Wisconsin Legislature are all up for grabs. But also slipped onto the ballot by a partisan and divisive vote of state legislators is a confusing constitutional amendment ballot question about voting rights. Common Cause urges voters to resoundingly reject the amendment with a ‘NO’ vote.

The question on the statewide ballot reads: “Eligibility to vote. Shall section 1 of article III of the (Wisconsin) constitution, which deals with suffrage, be amended to provide that only a United States citizen age 18 or older who resides in an election district may vote in an election for national, state or local office or at a statewide or local referendum?”

Much of that sentence is already enshrined in the Wisconsin Constitution. The major change is the word “only” replacing the current word “every.” And why is that change critically important and significant?

Because the Republicans, under the control and manipulation of Donald Trump, are hoping to frighten more people to the polls by raising the possibility of undocumented immigrants illegally voting — even though they can’t and don’t. Under current law, if a non-citizen tries to vote in a Wisconsin election, they are subject to severe civil and criminal penalties and even deportation. Immigrant voting just doesn’t happen in our state. Federal law already prohibits noncitizens from voting for the U.S. President or Congress. Violators can be sentenced up to five years in prison and to deportation for simply registering to vote.

Additionally, the more restrictive language in the ballot question, if adopted, could lead to the disenfranchisement of American citizens at the ballot box. An unrestrained court could conceivably block a citizen from voting if they do not possess a U.S. passport or cannot access their birth certificate and cannot produce them when voting. There are numerous Wisconsin voters who currently do not possess a passport or cannot readily and easily locate their birth certificate. Should all or any of those eligible U.S. citizens be prevented from voting? That could occur if this misguided ballot question passes on November 5th.

“I will be voting NO on the constitutional amendment that could limit the voting rights of many people. Wisconsin citizens do not need more red tape when it is time to cast their vote,“ said Penny Bernard Schaber, the Chair of the Common Cause Wisconsin (CC/WI) Advisory Board and a former state representative from Appleton from 2009 to 2015.

“This abusive attempt to amend the state constitution is a continuation of an ongoing scheme by the current gerrymandered Republican majority in the Wisconsin Legislature to enact their partisan agenda and get their way, bypassing the Governor rather than working with him and others to reach a bipartisan consensus on this and other matters,” added Jay Heck the executive director of CC/WI since 1996.

State voters wisely and decisively defeated two such ballot questions this past August after being educated about them and should rise up and do so again on November 5th. A resounding “NO” vote is the only sane and responsible option on this ballot question as well.

On Wisconsin. Forward!

Jay Heck, Common Cause Wisconsin Executive Director