Voting Access for Public Transit Riders
Courtesy: Michael Mirer In April of 2021, perhaps for the last time, the City of Madison will elect 20 City Council members for a 2-year period. Among their duties, Council members pass annual budgets that set taxes and determine how those taxes get spent. Those budgetary decisions in turn impact everything, from housing and police, to parks and yes, transportation. Various politically-minded groups gear up for this event, help with political campaigns and/or endorse particular candidates. Their activity is based on the probably incorrect premise that potential or actual transit riders are as able to vote as others. It should be correct, and the Dane County Voter ID Coalition has assigned itself the task of identifying voters who may not have an acceptable voter photo ID, then arranging for them to receive assistance in obtaining one. Madison city elections always take place in the Spring, and voter turnout in Spring elections tends to be lower than in the Fall. In