Earlier this year the Wisconsin State Legislature passed a law that permits online voter registration and eliminates Special Registration Deputies (SRDs). SRDs are people who are trained by election clerks to help people register to vote. With the advent of confusing voter ID requirements that seem to change with every court decision, SRDs have played a critical role in helping new voters navigate the election system.

Until the online voter registration system is up and running, SRDs will continue to be permitted. But as soon as that system is up — as early as next year — SRDs will go away.

In June the Madison Common Council adopted a resolution that empowers workers in front-line city agencies to be trained to register members of the public to vote. Over the summer the City Clerk’s office has been training workers in many city agencies from the Assessor’s office to the Water Utility to understand residence and ID requirements to allow city staff to register people to vote.

According to City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl, registering voters in advance of the election increases the chances of votes getting counted. Registering is a bigger obstacle than voter ID requirements, and this new initiative should increase the ease and convenience of registering to vote.

Sept. 27 was National Voter Registration Day, and the City Clerk’s office held a press conference and registration event at Warner Park Community Recreation Center. Civic groups including the League of Women Voters and the Northside Planning Council joined us in uplifting the importance of people’s access to the ballot through easy and convenient registration.

Most of the staff at WPCRC has been trained to register people to vote, so this service will be available to anyone using the WPCRC anytime it is open. Voter registration has always been available at Madison Public Libraries, and Lakeview Library continues to be a registration site.

Please tell your friends and neighbors who may not be registered to vote that they can now do so at just about any city agency. For an updated list of locations call the Clerk’s office at 266-4601.