Wis. ad campaign planned for new voter photo ID law

By SCOTT BAUER, Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A massive ad campaign to educate Wisconsin voters about the new photo identification requirement will hit the airwaves next month.

The effort, which will involve a new website, print ads, billboards, brochures, a toll-free hotline, and television and radio spots, is designed to inform people about the law requiring voters to present a photo ID at the polls. That takes effect with the February primary election.

The ads were developed by the Knupp, Watson and Wallman advertising firm in conjunction with the state Government Accountability Board. The theme of the campaign is "Bring it to the ballot."

"The ad campaign uses real Wisconsin people urging their fellow Wisconsinites to remember to bring their IDs with them to vote," said Reid Magney, spokesman for the GAB. "The campaign works on the assumption that most people already have the ID they need to vote. If they don't, it tells them what they need to do to get a free one."

The ads will direct people to a dedicated website now under construction as well as a toll-free number, 866-vote-wis, for more information about how to get that free ID from the Division of Motor Vehicles.

In order to be compliant with the new law, voters must show a valid driver's license, U.S. passport, a student ID that expires within two years, a state-issued ID card or a military ID.

The Republican-controlled Legislature passed the bill, and Gov. Scott Walker signed it into law earlier this year, saying it was needed to combat voter fraud. But Democrats and others who opposed it said that argument didn't hold water because there have been so few cases of fraud reported. They contend the law is too restrictive and its true intent is to keep poor people, college students, senior citizens and others who may not have the required identification from the polls.

The League of Women Voters filed a lawsuit in October arguing that the state constitution only bars children, felons and the mentally incompetent from voting, not people who lack photo IDs. Oral arguments for that case are scheduled for Jan. 19 in Dane County Circuit Court.

Melanie G. Ramey, president of the league's Wisconsin chapter, said confusion over the law likely won't be lessened through an ad campaign.

"I'm sure a lot of people will simply think it doesn't apply to them or they've been able to vote for a long time and they don't realize there have been some major changes," Ramey said. "I really think a lot of people are not simply going to realize they are not going to be able to vote."

Magney said it's hard to know how knowledgeable people are of the new law.

The ad campaign is now scheduled to run for 28 weeks through paid public service announcements costing about $436,000. The first ads will begin running on Jan. 2 and are scheduled to air before known elections in February, April, August and November.

Turnout is expected to be low at the February spring primary election, the first under the new law, because no statewide races are on the ballot. Over the past decade, turnout for the spring general election when there are statewide races has ranged between 12 percent and 21 percent.

Additional broadcast time may need to be purchased if recall elections are ordered outside the time frames already reserved, according to a memo prepared for the GAB at its Tuesday meeting. That additional airtime could cost as much as $250,000, the memo said.

Recall efforts are under way targeting Gov. Scott Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, and four Republican state senators. A conservative group said Friday it was considering launching a recall against Democratic Sen. Bob Jauch of Poplar.

The ads are supposed to be completed by Dec. 19 but the board is scheduled to see a preview at its Tuesday meeting.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)