When I voted in my state's primary a few weeks ago, I noticed a sign on the check-in table that said "You must provide your name and address. It’s the law!"
I thought at the time that the wording and exclamation point seemed a little harsh, so later in the day I googled "voting requirements" for my state and found links to the laws and to the appropriate state boards that oversee voting in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin has a relatively liberal policy about voting. (By liberal, I mean sane and rational.) It starts with the premise that voting is a fundamental right of all citizens of Wisconsin and that laws controlling elections should be implemented in a manner that is the least likely to discourage or prevent legitimate voters from voting. We have same-day registration, for example. If you can show that you've lived here 10 days, you can vote. Our state Supreme Court has consistently upheld the principle that voting is a right, not a privilege. I knew all this, but I confirmed it all with my googling.
It's true that registered voters like me must clearly state their name and address when checking in to vote (No driver license, no ID required. If you're already registered, just tell them who you are.) That way, the nice elderly ladies who work at the polls can look me up in the big book, check me off, and assign me a number. No problem.
So why did the sign bug me? Because it didn't seem to be in the spirit of the Badger State's history of treating voters with respect. It implied some sort of problem with people insisting on voting but not providing their name or address, a problem I've never seen and I doubt exists at all. The sign screamed to me "We are in charge, and you lowly voters must obey our protocol or you will not be allowed to vote!" Kinda struck me as the Soup Nazification of the polling place. "No Ballot For You!"
I should point out that the poll workers were great - friendly, courteous, and professional.
Voting should be a happy experience. People should feel welcomed and appreciated, not accused of voter fraud the moment they walk through the door.
So I sent an email to a "help desk" address at the state's election board politely asking if the sign was a requirement and stating that, if so, I thought it a bit unwelcoming.
I received a response the same day, and the person who answered agreed it didn't sound very friendly. It was not required wording, she said, and a bit later she emailed me again saying she had spoken with the local clerk and that they would change the sign for the general election.
And, get this, she was really, really, super nice about the whole thing. Now that's what I'm talking about! That's the Wisconsin I know and love! One big small town.
I was stunned. All it took was one person to say "Hey, this isn't really in the Wisconsin tradition," and a change was implemented. Sometimes we forget that. We assume somebody else will fix something, when the somebody is us.
I wrote back and thanked her, for the quick action and for working on election day.
So, besides looking forward to voting for Russ Feingold, Tammy Baldwin, Tom Barrett, and numerous other Democrats, I can't wait to see the new sign. I hope it has a smiley face, or maybe a picture of a cow with a caption that says:
Step Forward and Vote! All we need is your name and address! (Required by S.6.79(2), Wis. Stats.)