Wisconsin Early Voting Starts Oct 22; Period Chopped Short by Republicans

Voter obstruction billboards appear in Milwaukee
and in other swing states vital to Mitt Romney

 Update: It turns out that Clear Channel is actually owned by Mitt Romney's own Bain Capital.

Among the Republican-Tea Party initiatives to obstruct Wisconsin voters are the Voter ID law (ruled unconstitutional), and the increase in residency requirement for voter eligibility that was extended from 10 days to 28 days.

And the drastically cut early voting (in-person, absentee voting) period is chopped from 30 days before elections to 14 days thanks to GOP efforts to chip away at the public voting.

Hence, Wisconsin voters can only begin early voting next Monday, October 22, despite Wisconsin almost always being one of the top states in voter turn-out.

The Republican Party jammed their attacks on voting through the legislature in a bill that was passed with unanimous Republican Party support and no Democratic Party support.

Voting rights and other good government groups were in unanimous opposition to 2011 Wisconsin Act 23, signed into law by Scott Walker in May 2011.

The Wisconsin GAB has a site on voter information in the wake of the last year's GOP voter obstruction efforts.

Though the Republican Party attempt to obstruct voters with ID law has been found to be unconstitutional, voter obstruction efforts continue.

From United Wisconsin:

With Scott Walker's unconstitutional Voter ID law out of the picture for the upcoming election, those who wish to attack voting rights are finding other ways to push their agenda.

Over 85 billboards have popped up in Milwaukee - with most posted in minority neighborhoods - warning people of the consequences of voter fraud.

The person or organization behind this message would rather try to scare people than provide the community with useful information about voting.This is a callous attempt to confuse and intimidate voters, and is clearly designed to prevent some from exercising their fundamental right on November 6th.

The absence of voter fraud in Wisconsin is not stopping some from doing all they can to keep voters at home on election day. Help us fight back by supporting our door-to-door canvass and phone banks today.

With Scott Walker's unconstitutional Voter ID law out of the picture for the upcoming election, those who wish to attack voting rights are finding other ways to push their agenda.

Over 85 billboards have popped up in Milwaukee - with most posted in minority neighborhoods - warning people of the consequences of voter fraud.

The person or organization behind this message would rather try to scare people than provide the community with useful information about voting.This is a callous attempt to confuse and intimidate voters, and is clearly designed to prevent some from exercising their fundamental right on November 6th.

Worse yet, whomever is behind this will not even reveal who they are.

According to the billboard, the advertiser is known only as a "private family foundation." Clear Channel, the company who owns the billboards, has always required the name of an advertiser to be made public. But this time they didn't, stating that they had "made a mistake."

But so far, this startling admission by Clear Channel will change nothing. The billboards are not being removed, so it's up to us to get voters the information they need in these final weeks. We need to step up our outreach big time: chip in today and help ensure we contact every last voter.

With your help, this too can be overcome.

-Your Friends at United Wisconsin