Early voting popular, but some want to restrict it

Early voting is proving increasingly popular in Wisconsin. The number of people in Wisconsin who have already cast a ballot is nearly 700,000. That number is up from each of the previous two presidential elections. Clearly, people like the convenience of voting sometime other than the second Tuesday in November. That should be celebrated. When we make it easier for people to vote, we make it more likely people will vote. But some of our lawmakers in Madison think giving the people what they want is not a good idea. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is suggesting that he again is interested in restricting early voting in the state, despite a judge’s ruling overturning similar voter-restriction laws passed by the legislature. The judge ruled restrictions on early voting were designed only to curtail voting. Vos thinks every community in Wisconsin should have the same number of hours and days available for early voting. So much for local control. But this isn’t about uniformity. It is about voter suppression, making it harder for people to vote, particularly for those who lean democrat. Vos should embrace the fact that more people are participating in our democracy by early voting, not again work to try to restrict it.