Matt Flynn Presses for Automatic Voter Registration

(Madison) – Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Matt Flynn today addressed news media outside the Wisconsin Elections Commission to propose automatic voter registration in Wisconsin and to protect voting rights.

Flynn said, “Scott Walker and his Republican legislature have intentionally made voting more difficult and confusing in Wisconsin. By passing a Voter ID law, limiting access to DMV centers, curtailing early voting, and gerrymandering the state beyond comprehension, they have waged an all-out assault on the spirit of democracy. It led to a dramatic drop-off in voting in 2016, especially among students and minority voters, just as the Republicans intended.

“I believe in fair elections and in leveling the playing field. As governor, I will restore our progressive tradition of expanding voting rights and simplify how we conduct elections.

“Today I want to discuss one way we will simplify elections: by creating automatic voter registration. I propose automatically registering to vote all U.S. citizens who legally reside in Wisconsin, are over the age of 18, and have a driver’s license or state ID issued by the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles.

“A new resident who moves to Wisconsin is already required to go to the DMV to obtain a new driver’s license or state ID. Automatic voter registration would remove the extra step she needs to take to register to vote. A young adult who has a driver’s license or state ID will automatically be registered when he turns 18, making it easier for him to start exercising his right to vote.

“Not all states have the same voter registration laws. New voters are often confused about when and where to register. Automatic registration will eliminate that confusion.

“All residents will be made aware that they are automatically being registered to vote. If they choose, they will be allowed to opt-out of voter registration.

“Automatic voter registration has already been adopted by 10 states in the past three years. Wisconsin should join that growing list.

“Of course, this is only one of the policies we will need to pass to protect voting rights. We also need to eliminate the state’s voter ID law, encourage more early voting and mail balloting, and require a paper trail for electronic touch-screen voting terminals. We also need to create an independent redistricting commission made up of neutral judges so that voters can choose their politicians, instead of politicians choosing their voters.”

Matt Flynn is a Navy veteran, attorney, and former Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. He attended law school at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

For additional information, visit www.ForwardWithFlynn.com.

Forward with Flynn

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.