The Wisconsin state Assembly passed a bill Wednesday requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls, a longtime priority of Republicans who finally have the power to enact the law this year. The Assembly passed the bill 60-35, despite objections from Democrats who argued the new photo ID requirement, along with other changes affecting voter registration and qualifications to vote, will create chaos and confusion at the polls. One addition allows students to use college IDs. At one point, the bill would have required the student?s address and date of birth to be on the cards. Those requirements were taken off after security concerns were raised by UW-Madison, because the cards also provide access to residence halls. Under the version passed Wednesday, the ID cards must include the student?s signature and expiration date no farther out than two years after the card was issued. University of Wisconsin IDs currently do not meet that criteria, meaning they would have to be redone to be used by students to vote.
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