Wisconsin Veterans Will Be Able to Present Health Cards to Vote—Finally

Five years after Scott Walker and Wisconsin Republicans enacted their restrictive photo voter ID law meant to obstruct non-GOP-voting citizens from voting, Republicans are finally adding Veteran Health Identification Cards (VHIC) or (VIC) to the list of acceptable IDs in the newest Republican election bill drafted to keep Republicans in power, Senate Bill 295.

The spectacle of many disabled and homeless veterans—whose only form of ID is the VIC—has proven too politically unsavory for Republicans in a presidential election year, (Mal Contends Sept. 2011; Mal Contends Nov. 2103; Mal Contends July 2012).

"The substitute amendment adds a veterans identification card to the list of specified documents that can be used as Voter ID. Under the substitute amendment, a voter may provide a veterans identification card issued by the Veterans Health Administration of the federal Department of Veterans Affairs as proof of identification," notes the Legislative Council Amendment Memo published last week.

Scott Walker is expected to sign a flurry of bills in March including the final version of Senate Bill 295.

This development follows the myriad election-related changes to state law Walker and Wisconsin Republicans have made to keep Republicans in political power, (Ferral, The Capital Times).