In Wisconsin, you are required to have a state ID to vote, and it’s free, except they don’t tell you it’s free - this guy tried to inform co-workers of this and was fired
Madison — A low-level state employee was fired Thursday after he sent an email to his fellow employees telling them about the state Department of Transportation’s policy on giving out free photo identification cards for voting.
Chris Larsen, who had worked in the mail room at the state Department of Safety and Professional Services, sent an email Thursday morning to all employees at the agency’s headquarters explaining that the DOT would provide photo IDs to people only if they specifically asked to have the fee waived.
A couple of hours later, Larsen was fired.
“It’s insane,” he said.
John Murray, the executive assistant at the Department of Safety and Professional Services, confirmed Larsen had been fired Thursday and said the firing is under review. He said Larsen had a series of documented work rule violations, including past instances of inappropriately using work email.
Larsen, however, said he had not previously been disciplined.
In May, Republicans approved a requirement that voters show photo ID at the polls starting next year. They also told the DOT to give out free IDs for voting purposes to ensure the ID requirement was not an illegal poll tax.
The department began giving out the free IDs in July but told employees in a memo to provide them for free only if people asked not to be charged. If they don’t ask, they are charged $28.
The policy has prompted outrage from some, including one supporter of the photo ID law.
Larsen, 38, sent his email to fellow employees at his workplace after learning of the policy. He said he sent it so others would know they could get free IDs if they needed them to vote.
Larsen said a supervisor told him when he was fired his use of email was inappropriate. He said he’d held the job since December as a limited-term employee.
The “Sly in the Morning” show on WTDY-AM (1670) in Madison first reported on Larsen’s termination.
Here’s the full text of Larsen’s email:
“Do you know someone who votes that does not have a State ID that meets requirements to vote? Tell them they can go to the DMV/DOT and get a free ID card. However they must ask for the free ID. a memo was sent out by the 3rd in command of the DMV/DOT. The memo specifically told the employees at the DMV/DOT not to inform individuals that the ID’s are free. So if the individuals seeking to get the free ID does not ask for a free ID, they will have to pay for it!!
“Just wanted everyone to be informed!! REMEMBER TO TELL ANYONE YOU KNOW!! ANYONE!! EVEN IF THEY DON’T NEED THE FREE ID, THEY MAY KNOW SOMEONE THAT DOES!! SO TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW!!”
Emphasis added.
