One Wisconsin Now Demands Voting Hours Be Extended After Computer Crash

MADISON, Wis. — According to media and reports from election administration officials a technology failure at Gov. Scott Walker’s Department of Administration means election officials and voters have lost access to the state voter registration system and the Department of Motor Vehicles is unable to process requests for voter IDs.

The failures are especially distressing just days before the critical April 5 Spring Elections because Walker and the GOP controlled legislature have rammed through new laws severely limiting the hours of early voting and requiring a voter ID in order to cast a ballot.

The following are the statements of One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross:

“The people of Wisconsin ought not have their right to vote endangered by the incompetence of Gov. Walker and his administration.

“The simple solution to this cataclysmic failure is to keep local clerks’ offices open to allow people to vote this weekend, and local DMVs for those without voter IDs.

“On the final day of early voting and with just two business days before Election day to get the ID now required vote a technology failure at Gov. Walker’s Department of Administration is forcing voters to wait in long lines or, if they are not able to stay in line, lose their opportunity to vote today.

“The DMV is unable to process applications for voter IDs on one of only two business days before Wisconsinites will be required to produce them in order to exercise their right to vote at the polls on Tuesday.

“They broke it, and Gov. Walker and his administration ought to do everything in their power to fix it — including extending hours at the DMV and allowing polling places to stay open for more hours of early voting.”