Editorial: Voting in 2012: More to do, learn

Talk about it

Besides the task of staying informed, making time to go to the polls, choosing from a lengthy list of local and county candidates in the spring election and the same for state Senate and Assembly, the U.S. Senate, Congress and president next fall, voters in 2012 will have other matters to deal with. Otherwise, there could be confusion.

First, voters will be required to produce a photo I.D. to prove they are who they claim. Most of us are set. We can show our Wisconsin driver’s license.

For those who don’t have a state driver’s license, including some college students, people disabled, very old or who simply don’t drive, they’ll need to get a special I.D. ahead of time. If not, under the new state law, they’ll be denied their right to vote.

Second, you may have to brush up on who your elected representative is and who the challengers are. That’s due to redistricting, which happens every 10 years once the latest U.S. census population data is recalculated.

As the Journal reported last week, there are big changes. For instance, St. Croix County residents say goodbye to being in Ron Kind’s 3rd Congressional District and move to Sean Duffy’s (formerly Dave Obey’s) 7th Congressional District.

At the state level, many Pierce County residents will be affected. Sheila Harsdorf’s 10th Senate District sheds the city of Prescott, the town of Clifton, the villages of Spring Valley and Ellsworth, among others, for the 31st Senate District now held by Kathleen Vinehout out of Alma.

The town of Martell moves from the 91st Assembly District to the 93rd District. The village of Spring Valley also moves from the 29th Assembly District (John Murtha) to the 93rd District.

Also going to the 93rd District — Prescott, Clifton and others. Those residents have been in the 30th Assembly District and represented by Dean Knudson.

Conversely, the towns of Kinnickinnic and Warren, plus the village of Roberts, are being switched from the 29th Assembly District (Murtha) to the 30th Assembly District (Knudson).

Got all that? You’ve still got time to learn. Not everyone in the River Falls area is affected, but for those who are, 2012 will require a learning curve.

Hang in there. After next year it should become routine.