University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
1
The Driver License Status of the Voting Age Population in Wisconsin
by John Pawasarat, Employment and Training Institute, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, June 2005.
Because one of the most important employment issues facing central city Milwaukee residents is
access to a valid drivers license, the UWM Employment and Training Institute has conducted
considerable research on drivers license suspension and revocation issues for Milwaukee adults and
teenagers and explored the impacts of past and current state policies suspending licenses for failure
to pay fines and forfeitures on residents of central city neighborhood. This research report
provides a first-time analysis of drivers license issues based on the racial/ethnicity of drivers
and unlicensed adults in Wisconsin. The importance of possessing a valid drivers license cannot
be overstated in Milwaukee’s labor market. Annual employer surveys conducted by the
Employment and Training Institute for the Private Industry Council of Milwaukee County have
found that three-fourths of Milwaukee area job openings are located in Milwaukee County suburbs
and the exurban counties of Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington counties – usually not easily
accessed by public transportation. Research on welfare recipients finding employment showed that
possession of a drivers license and car was a stronger predictor of leaving public assistance than
even a high school diploma.
For this report, new ETI research on interrelationships between race/ethnicity, income and
geography for the drivers license issue is applied to proposals in the Wisconsin Legislature to require
state drivers licenses or photo IDs as identification for voting in elections in the state. The report
details the impact of the proposed voter identification legislation on the population of adults 18 and
older in the State of Wisconsin compared to the population of adults with a current driver license and
current address. The number of Wisconsin licensed drivers is taken from the Department of
Transportation (DOT) computer database for licensed drivers current as of January 31, 2002 and
analyzed by age, race/ethnicity, gender, and geography. The Census 2000 full count (Summary File
1) for Wisconsin and Milwaukee County is used as the base for comparison. Individuals who were
16 or older on April 1, 2000, the reference date of the Census, are compared to the population of
drivers with a drivers license 2 years later when they reached legal voting age. Data on Wisconsin
DOT photo ID utilization was only available at the state level by age and gender, and this data is
incorporated in the analysis where possible.
Findings
1. Many adults do not have either a drivers license or a photo ID. An estimated 23 percent of
persons aged 65 and over do not have a Wisconsin drivers license or a photo ID. The
population of elderly persons 65 and older without a drivers license or a state photo ID
totals 177,399, and of these 70 percent are women. While racial data was not available on the
state population with photo IDs, 91 percent of the state’s elderly without a Wisconsin drivers
license are white. An estimated 98,247 Wisconsin residents ages 35 through 64 also do not
have either a drivers license or a photo ID.
2. Minorities and poor populations are the most likely to have drivers license problems. Less than
half (47 percent) of Milwaukee County African American adults and 43 percent of Hispanic
adults have a valid drivers license compared to 85 percent of white adults in the Balance of State
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
2
(BOS, i.e., outside Milwaukee County). The situation for young adults ages 18-24 is even worse
-- with only 26 percent of African Americans and 34 percent of Hispanics in Milwaukee County
with a valid license compared to 71 percent of young white adults in the Balance of State.
3. A large number of licensed drivers have had their licenses suspended or revoked, many for
failure to pay fines and forfeitures rather than traffic points violations. The drivers license file
shows 39,685 individuals in Milwaukee County who have drivers licenses but also recent
suspensions or revocations on their licenses. Another 49,804 Milwaukee County adults had a
recent suspension/revocation but no license with the DOT. Only 65 percent of adults in
Milwaukee County have a current and valid Wisconsin drivers license, compared to 83 percent
of adults in the Balance of State.
4. A portion of the population with a drivers license and a recent suspension or revocation may
retain their license as an ID for voting and others may secure a state photo ID. These licenses
cannot be renewed, however, without clearing up the outstanding fines and fees.
5. Students without a Wisconsin drivers license or a Wisconsin photo ID would need to obtain
either one to vote. Those students and young adults living away from home but retaining their
permanent home address on their drivers license need to provide proof of residence to vote prior
to registration under current laws. Because the drivers license is a valid ID, regardless of
address, few if any in this population would have a photo ID with a current address. These
individuals may have a Wisconsin or out-of-state drivers license but not one with a current
address. At UWM, Marquette University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a total of
12,624 students live in residence halls, but only 280 (2 percent) have drivers licenses with these
dorms’ addresses. All others require special handling to vote under proposed and current
legislation.
6. The population that changes residence frequently is most likely to have a drivers license address
that differs from their current residence. This would include lower-income residents who rent
and students and young adults living away from home (who are likely to have a drivers license
listing an incorrect address or their permanent home address). To illustrate this point, 16
Wisconsin ZIP codes were identified which have the highest concentration of undergraduate
students (both in dorms and in apartments). These ZIP codes had 118,075 young voting age
adults (ages 18-24) but 83,981 (or 71 percent) 18-24 year olds did not
have a drivers license with
this current ZIP code address. Over half of the adults of the 18-24 year old age group did not
have a drivers license with an address in their current ZIP code for college neighborhoods in Eau
Claire, LaCrosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Platteville, River Falls, Stevens Point, Stout,
and Whitewater. All of those without a current address on their drivers license or ID need to
provide proof of residence.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
3
I. Drivers License Status for Minorities
The number and percent of minorities who are Wisconsin residents has been increasing, particularly
in Southeast Wisconsin. This population is also very young. Minorities are much less likely to have
a drivers license and if they do, they are much more likely to have a recent license suspension or
revocation. Having a suspension or revocation could result in a large number of licenses not having
a current address and licenses not being renewed.
Statewide, the percent of Wisconsin residents with a valid drivers license is 80 percent for males and
81 percent for females. For African-Americans, only 45 percent of males and 51 percent of females
have a valid drivers license. Hispanics show 54 percent of males and only 41 percent of females
with a valid drivers license.
For young adults (ages 18 through 24) even fewer minorities have valid drivers licenses to use for
voter identification under the proposed legislation. Statewide, only 22 percent of young African
American males and 34 percent of young African American females have a valid license. For young
Hispanics, 43 percent of males and only 37 percent of females have a valid license. For whites, 64
percent of males and 75 percent of females have valid licenses.
Many Wisconsin residents have a drivers license with a recent suspension or revocations, and
minorities are twice as likely to be in this situation. If these individuals have retained their license,
they will be able to use it as an ID for voting purposes. Statewide, an estimated 11 percent of
African American adults and 8 percent of Hispanic adults have a license with a current revocation or
suspension, compared to 4 percent of whites.
An even larger number have no license but a recent suspension or revocation. An estimated 17
percent of African American adults and 8 percent of Hispanic adults, compared to 1 percent of white
adults, fall into this category.
A portion of the population without a drivers license – whether valid or not – will have a photo ID,
but without an analysis by race and location, it is not possible to estimate that population.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
4
The graphs below show the percentages of adults of voting age (ages 18 and above) in Wisconsin
with valid drivers licenses, without recent suspensions or revocations.
Wisconsin White Men
Without a Valid Drivers License
Without a
valid
license
17%
Wisconsin White Women
Without a Valid Drivers License
Without a
valid
license
17%
Wisconsin African American Men
Without a Valid Drivers License
Without a
valid
license
55%
Wisconsin African American Women
Without a Valid Drivers License
Without a
valid
license
49%
Wisconsin Hispanic Men
Without a Valid Drivers License
Without a
valid
license
46%
Wisconsin Hispanic Women
Without a Valid Drivers License
Without a
valid
license
59%
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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The graphs below show the percentages of young adults (ages 18 through 24) in Wisconsin with
valid drivers licenses, without recent suspensions or revocations.
Wisconsin White Men (18-24 Yr.)
Without a Valid Drivers License
Without a
valid
license
36%
Wisconsin White Women (18-24 Yr.)
Without a Valid Drivers License
Without a
valid
license
25%
Wisconsin African American Men (18-24
Yr.) Without a Valid Drivers License
Without a
valid
license
78%
Wisconsin African American Women (18-
24 Yr.) Without Valid Drivers License
Without a
valid
license
66%
Wisconsin Hispanic Men (Ages 18-24 Yr.)
Without a Valid Drivers License
Without a
valid
license
57%
Wisconsin Hispanic Women (Ages 18-24
Yr.) Without a Valid Drivers License
Without a
valid
license
63%
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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II. Drivers License Status of Milwaukee County Residents
Milwaukee County residents are more than twice as likely to be without a drivers license as adults in
the balance of the state. Almost a third (30 percent) of Milwaukee County voting age adults do not
have a drivers license compared, to 12 percent of residents in the Balance of State. The county is
home to much of the state’s African American and Hispanic populations who have lower
percentages with a current drivers license. Milwaukee is also home to Marquette University, UWM,
and a number of other post-secondary institutions that house significant numbers of non-resident
students. Dense urban neighborhoods and extensive mass transit systems may also account for more
individuals without a drivers license in Milwaukee County.
The graphs below (and the tables on pages 21-22) show the differing impacts by race/ethnicity and
area of the state (i.e., Milwaukee County and the “balance of the state”) that would result from using
the drivers license as a voter ID. The combination of race and geography results in some
populations having less than half of the percentage of eligible voters based on drivers license ID
requirements. This analysis does not include photo ID utilization, as the published state photo ID
data is only available by age and gender and at the state level. In the graphs below all licensed
drivers are included, including persons with suspensions and revocations.
Voting Age Adults with a Wisconsin Drivers License
FEMALES
87%
74%
71%
56%
48%
40%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Balance of State Milwaukee County
Whites
African Americans
Hispanics
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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Voting Age Adults with a Wisconsin Drivers License
MALES
91%
80%
59%
61%
70%
59%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Balance of State Milwaukee County
Whites
African American
Hispanic
The percentages of young adults with drivers licenses for use as voter IDs is strikingly lower
than for the voting age population as a whole. For some minority subpopulations, less than half
of young voting age adults show a current drivers license. In the graphs below all licensed
drivers are included, including persons with suspensions and revocations.
Young Adults with a Wisconsin Drivers License
FEMALES (AGES 18-24)
85%
71%
59%
43%
47%
39%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Balance of State Milwaukee County
Whites
African Americans
Hispanics
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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Young Adults with a Wisconsin Drivers License
MALES (AGES 18-24)
85%
69%
41%
42%
67%
52%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Balance of State Milw aukee County
Whites
African American
Hispanic
A ZIP code analysis of the percentages of adults of voter age holding drivers licenses shows wide
differences within Milwaukee County as well. The tables below show the percentage of Milwaukee
County adults with drivers licenses.
The first table shows adults with a valid license. In the 53217 “North Shore” communities of
Bayside, Fox Point, Glendale and parts of River Hills, and Whitefish Bay, 92 percent of adult males
and females had valid drivers licenses, compared to rates of 40 percent or below on the near
northside of Milwaukee (ZIP codes 53205 and 53206) and around Marquette University (53233).
The second table shows adults with any Wisconsin drivers license, whether valid, suspended or
revoked. Here, the percentages of males with licenses is 95 percent or above in the “North Shore”
(ZIP code 53217), Hales Corners (ZIP code 53130), and Oak Creek (ZIP code 53154). Fewer than
half of females in Milwaukee ZIP codes 53233, 53204, 53205, and 53206 had a license.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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Voting Age Adults in Milwaukee County with Valid Drivers Licenses
ZIP Code (ZCTA)
Voting
Age
Males
% of males
with a valid
drivers license
in the ZIP Code
Voting
Age
Females
% of females
with a valid
drivers license
in the ZIP Code
Milwaukee 53233 7,485 21% 6,471 16%
Milwaukee 53205 2,858 38% 3,854 36%
Milwaukee 53206 8,860 40% 12,555 37%
Milwaukee 53204 15,707 47% 13,113 33%
Milwaukee 53212 9,796 47% 11,827 44%
Milwaukee 53210 8,632 49% 11,713 50%
Milwaukee 53208 10,668 53% 12,992 46%
Milwaukee 53202 11,129 55% 9,217 57%
Milwaukee 53216 9,976 57% 13,577 60%
Milwaukee 53218 11,895 61% 15,734 58%
Milw., Wauwatosa 53225 8,582 62% 10,497 63%
Milwaukee, Brown Deer,
Glendale, River Hills 53209 15,447 62% 20,067
63%
Milw., West Milw. 53215 19,384 63% 20,407 52%
Milwaukee 53224 6,247 63% 7,565 63%
Milw., Shorewood, W. Bay 53211 14,669 65% 16,068 64%
W. Allis, Milw., W. Milw. 53214 14,124 65% 14,474 68%
Milw., Brown Deer 53223 10,443 66% 13,060 65%
St. Francis 53235 3,562 67% 3,878 63%
W. Allis, Milw., Greenfield 53227 9,273 74% 10,534 71%
Milwaukee, Greenfield, West
Allis,
West Milwaukee 53219 12,956 74% 14,995 70%
Milwaukee 53207 14,327 75% 15,028 74%
Milwaukee, Wauwatosa 53222 8,818 76% 11,357 71%
Franklin 53132 12,208 77% 11,121 90%
Wauwatosa, Milwaukee 53226 7,085 77% 8,433 77%
Milwaukee, Greenfield 53221 13,444 78% 15,615 72%
Cudahy 53110 7,007 79% 7,639 75%
Wauwatosa, Milwaukee 53213 9,298 80% 10,974 80%
Greenfield, Milwaukee 53220 9,532 81% 11,319 78%
South Milwaukee 53172 8,001 81% 8,342 83%
Greenfield, Milwaukee 53228 5,295 85% 6,292 80%
Oak Creek 53154 10,832 88% 11,564 87%
Greendale 53129 5,329 88% 6,145 89%
Hales Corners 53130 2,826 89% 3,302 84%
Bayside, Fox Pt., Glendale,
River Hills, W. Bay 53217 10,707 92% 12,087 92%
Milwaukee County
336,402 66% 381,816 65%
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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Voting Age Adults in Milwaukee County with Drivers Licenses
(including Valid, Suspended and Revoked Licenses)
ZIP Code (ZCTA)
Voting
Age
Males
% of males
with a
drivers license
in the ZIP Code
Voting
Age
Females
% of females with a
drivers license
in the ZIP Code
Milwaukee 53233 7,485 25% 6,471 19%
Milwaukee 53205 2,858 49% 3,854 42%
Milwaukee 53206 8,860 55% 12,555 43%
Milwaukee 53204 15,707 58% 13,113 36%
Milwaukee 53212 9,796 61% 11,827 50%
Milwaukee 53210 8,632 64% 11,713 56%
Milwaukee 53208 10,668 65% 12,992 50%
Milwaukee 53202 11,129 61% 9,217 59%
Milwaukee 53216 9,976 72% 13,577 66%
Milwaukee 53218 11,895 75% 15,734 63%
Milw., Wauwatosa 53225 8,582 72% 10,497 67%
Milwaukee, Brown Deer,
Glendale, River Hills 53209 15,447 75% 20,067
69%
Milw., West Milw. 53215 19,384 74% 20,407 55%
Milwaukee 53224 6,247 75% 7,565 69%
Milw., Shorewood, W. Bay 53211 14,669 71% 16,068 66%
W. Allis, Milw., W. Milw. 53214 14,124 73% 14,474 71%
Milw., Brown Deer 53223 10,443 74% 13,060 68%
St. Francis 53235 3,562 74% 3,878 65%
W. Allis, Milw., Greenfield 53227 9,273 80% 10,534 73%
Milwaukee, Greenfield, West
Allis,
West Milwaukee 53219 12,956 80% 14,995 72%
Milwaukee 53207 14,327 83% 15,028 76%
Milwaukee, Wauwatosa 53222 8,818 81% 11,357 73%
Franklin 53132 12,208 82% 11,121 91%
Wauwatosa, Milwaukee 53226 7,085 81% 8,433 78%
Milwaukee, Greenfield 53221 13,444 85% 15,615 74%
Cudahy 53110 7,007 87% 7,639 78%
Wauwatosa, Milwaukee 53213 9,298 85% 10,974 81%
Greenfield, Milwaukee 53220 9,532 88% 11,319 79%
South Milwaukee 53172 8,001 89% 8,342 85%
Greenfield, Milwaukee 53228 5,295 91% 6,292 81%
Oak Creek 53154 10,832 95% 11,564 89%
Greendale 53129 5,329 93% 6,145 90%
Hales Corners 53130 2,826 95% 3,302 86%
Bayside, Fox Pt., Glendale,
River Hills, W. Bay 53217 10,707 96% 12,087 93%
Milwaukee County
336,402 75% 381,816 68%
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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III. License Suspensions and Revocations
Wisconsin law permits units of government to suspend a drivers license for failure to pay
outstanding fines. In the case of juveniles who fail to pay fines for truancy, curfew violations,
underage drinking, jaywalking, etc., a suspension order is placed which prevents the youth from
obtaining a license until these fines are paid. The suspensions solely for failure to pay bills make up
almost half of the total suspensions in the state. Previous studies of the impact of these suspensions
have shown the adverse impact on residents of central city neighborhoods in Milwaukee.
Milwaukee County residents are twice as likely to have a suspension in a year than are residents in
the balance of the state. Most of this disparity occurs because Milwaukee has the largest
concentration of poor young minorities, who show the highest levels of suspensions for failure to
pay fines.
1
Review of drivers license files showed 89,489 Milwaukee County residents and 237,434
adults in the Balance of State with recent license suspensions or revocations. Other residents lost
their licenses in the past and have not paid the fines and fees required to restore them.
IV. Drivers License Status of Elderly Residents
The population of 177,399 older persons without a Wisconsin drivers license or photo ID would be
adversely effected by the voter ID legislation proposed, except for those living in nursing homes and
assisted living quarters. Nearly all of those affected appear to be white (91 percent) and most are
female (70 percent). The population of those 65 and over totaled 780,947 as of 2002 (based on
Census data), while those with a Wisconsin drivers license totaled 560,686 and those with a photo
ID and no license totaled 42,862, leaving 177,399 without an ID. Only a small portion (5 percent) of
the older population is in a nursing home (38,199 persons statewide as of 2000) and some of these
nursing home residents may still have an unexpired Wisconsin drivers license.
V. License Status of College Students in Residence Halls
Students enrolled at post secondary institutions and not currently living at home may face problems
when attempting to vote while at school. Most college students do not change their drivers license
address when attending school. Student ID's typically do not include addresses, and students in
dorms are most often under 21 years of age with no reason to obtain a photo ID from the DOT to
prove they are of legal drinking age. Statewide, students living in dormitories in the 2000 Census
totaled 51,249.
As shown below, very few University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin-Madison,
and Marquette University students 18-24 years of age have a drivers license that lists their dorm as
their current address. Fewer than 3 percent of students have a drivers license with their current
1
See John Pawasarat, Removing Transportation Barriers to Employment: The Impact of Driver’s License
Suspension Policies on Milwaukee County Teens (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and
Training Institute, 2000) online at www.uwm.edu/Dept/ETI/barriers/teensdot.htm; John Pawasarat and Frank
Stetzer, Removing Transportation Barriers to Employment: Assessing Driver’s License and Vehicle
Ownership Patterns of Low-Income Populations (UWM Employment and Training Institute, 1998) online at
www.uwm.edu/Dept/ETI/dot.htm; and Neighborhood Indicators Central City Milwaukee: 1992-Present online
at www.uwm.edu/Dept/ETI/reports/indypage.htm.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
12
residence hall address, while 97 percent could require special handling at the polls under proposed
legislation and at the time they register to vote under current legislation.
University Students in Residence Halls Compared to Licensed Drivers at the Address:
UWM, Marquette University, and UW-Madison
Residence Hall
Address
With
Drivers License
at address
Residents
Capacity
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee:
Sandburg Residence Halls
3400 N. Maryland Ave.
51
2,700
Marquette University (Milwaukee)
Cobeen Hall
Carpenter Hall
Mashuda Hall
McCormick Hall
O’Donnell Hall
Schroeder Hall
South Hall
Straz Hall
(Sub-total, Marquette University)
729 N. 11
th
Street
716 N. 11
th
Street
1530 W. Wisconsin Ave.
1530 W. Wisconsin Ave.
725 N. 18
th
Street
715 N. 13
th
Street
525 N. 17
th
Street
915 W. Wisconsin Ave.
8
3
10
9
6
7
1
12
(56)
350
300
400
725
300
650
87
376
(3,188)
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Adams Hall
Barnard Hall
Bradley Hall
Chadbourne Hall
Cole Hall
Elizabeth Waters Hall
Friedrick Center
Kronshage Hall
Merit House
Ogg Hall
Sellery Hall
Slichter Hall
Sullivan Hall
Tripp Hall
Witte Hall
(Sub-total, UW-Madison)
1520 Tripp Circle
970 University Ave.
1900 Willow Drive
420 N. Park Street
625 Elm Drive
1200 Observatory Drive
1950 Willow Drive
1650 Kronshage Drive
919 W. Dayton Street
716 W. Dayton Street
821 W. Johnson Street
625 Babcock Drive
635 Elm Drive
1510 Tripp Circle
615 W. Johnson Street
12
8
10
23
8
5
0
11
0
38
21
7
5
8
17
(173)
276
138
246
687
244
473
50
616
23
950
1,148
198
257
280
1,150
(6,736)
There are 15 residence halls at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, having a capacity of 6,736
beds. However, the number of licensed drivers with the residence hall addresses totaled 173, or less
than 3 percent of the residents. At the Sandburg Residence Halls at UWM, out of 2,700 dorm
residents, less than 2 percent of dorm residents had a drivers license with the Sandburg address.
Similarly, less than 2 percent of the students living in the Marquette University dorms (or 56 out of
3,188 residents) had a drivers license with their dorm’s address. It is not possible, based on
published data tables for state photo IDs, to determine how many students have obtained Wisconsin
photo IDs or how many have state drivers licenses with a different home address listed.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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College students not in dorms may be in a similar situation. Students and young people who move
away from home to attend school usually have a drivers license but do not change their license
address during college. In many cases younger adults may not change their license address until
they find a permanent job except for occasional situations when a current drivers license may be
required for another purpose. (For example, the City of Milwaukee overnight parking permits
require a current drivers license with the address where the vehicle is parked.)
The Wisconsin DOT drivers license file and Census 2000 (SF3 file) are used to assess the degree to
which students do not change their license address in “student intense ZIP codes” throughout the
state. The U.S. Census data was used to compare the number of 18 through 21 year olds to the
number enrolled in undergraduate programs in each Wisconsin ZIP code. The top 16 ZIP codes
(ZCTAs, Zip Code Tabulation Areas) where the highest number of undergraduates resided
accounted for a total of 96,589 undergraduates and 78,075 young people ages 18 through 21. The
18-21 year old population with a drivers license in these same 16 ZIP codes totaled 15,321, or 20
percent of those 18 through 21 years old. The population in these 16 ZIP codes without a drivers
license with their current residence totaled 62,754. When the population of 22 to 24 year olds are
included, the number without a drivers license address at the current address totals 83,981. In some
ZIP codes 98 to 99 percent of the students do not have a license with their current school address.
18, 19 and 20 Year Olds in the 2000 Census and With a Drivers License for the ZIP Code
for the Top 16 Student-Intensive ZIP Codes in Wisconsin
ZIP Code (ZCTA)
Census 2000
population
18-20 yr.
With
drivers
license at this
ZIP Code
Without a
drivers license
at this ZIP Code
% without a
drivers license
at this ZIP Code
Madison 53703 5,527 308 5,219 94%
Madison 53706 4,872 56 4,816 99%
LaCrosse 54601 5,880 1,124 4,756 81%
MU-Milwaukee 53233
4,379 109 4,270 98%
Whitewater 53190 4,042 456 3,586 89%
Eau Claire 54701 4,711 1,152 3,559 76%
Oshkosh 54901 4,222 913 3,309 78%
Stevens Point 54481
4,010 1,089 2,921 73%
Stout 54751 3,287 632 2,655 81%
UW-Milwaukee 53211 3,435 1,138 2,297 67%
Platteville 53818 2,286 363 1,923 84%
River Falls 54022
2,493 578 1,915 77%
Madison 53705 2,660 750 1,910 72%
Madison 53715 1,781 135 1,646 92%
Milwaukee 53202 1,307 122 1,185 91%
Eau Claire 54703
2,371 1,345 1,026 43%
Total 16 ZIP Codes 57,263 10,270 46,993 82%
The problem of young adults without drivers licenses at their current address is not limited to the
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
14
younger college student population. An analysis of the population of 21-24 year olds in the “student
intense ZIP codes” also showed a large number of adults aged 21-24 without a drivers license for the
ZIP code. Almost 37,000 young adults, 61 percent of those living in these college area ZIP codes,
did not have a drivers license for that ZIP code.
21-24 Year Olds in the 2000 Census and With a Drivers License for the ZIP Code
for the Top 16 Student-Intensive ZIP Codes in Wisconsin
ZIP Code (ZCTA)
Census 2000
population
21-24 yr.
With drivers
license at this
ZIP Code
Without a
drivers license
at this ZIP Code
% without a
drivers license
at this ZIP Code
Madison 53703 9,247 2,464 6,783 73%
LaCrosse 54601 5,725 2,938 2,787 49%
Oshkosh 54901 4,669 1,886 2,783 60%
MU-Milwaukee 53233
3,315 563 2,752 83%
UW-Milwaukee 53211 5,037 2,331 2,706 54%
Stevens Point 54481 4,456 1,988 2,468 55%
Whitewater 53190 3,369 928 2,441 72%
Madison 53715
3,197 795 2,402 75%
Eau Claire 54703 4,431 2,220 2,211 50%
Stout 54751 3,365 1,201 2,164 64%
Milwaukee 53202 2,941 1,158 1,783 61%
Platteville 53818
2,105 645 1,460 69%
River Falls 54022 2,442 990 1,452 59%
Madison 53705 3,010 1,681 1.329 44%
Eau Claire 54701 3,198 1,946 1,252 39%
Madison 53706
305 90 215 70%
Total 16 ZIP Codes 60,812 23,824 36,988 61%
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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VI. The Number of Unlicensed Adults Is Expected to Grow
According to population estimates prepared by the Wisconsin Department of Administration, the
population of adults aged 18 or older as counted in the 2000 Census is continuing to grow in the
state, in part because as older residents die or move away from Wisconsin, they are being replaced
by a much larger population of young adults. For example, the population of 65-year olds in the
2000 Census totaled 36,876, while the population of 17-year olds in Wisconsin totaled 81,360.
The Wisconsin Department of Administration estimates the population of Wisconsin residents 18 or
over as of January 1, 2004 to be 4,119,320, or a 124,401 increase over the 2000 Census count.
Assuming the same annual growth of the 18 and over population, the January 1, 2005 estimate will
be close to 4,152,521, or 157,602 higher than 2000 population count.
VII. Households Without a Vehicle Unlikely to Have Current Licensed Drivers
Census 2000 special tabulation files for the PUMS (Public Use Microdata Sample) offer detailed
data on households in Wisconsin. Of particular interest are those households that do not have any
vehicles. Statewide, a total of 371,501 persons, aged 18 and over, were reported in households with
0 vehicles (cars or trucks). These persons were heavily concentrated in the City of Milwaukee,
where 87,300 adults were in households without vehicles. While many adults in other households
may be unlicensed, it is likely that households where there is no car or truck owned by any
household member would have much higher numbers of persons without current drivers licenses.
As shown in the table below, while the City of Milwaukee has 11 percent of the state’s adult
population, it has 23 percent of the adults living in households without a vehicle.
Wisconsin Voting Age Adults Without a Vehicle in Their Household
Census 2000 PUMS Files
Total Voting Age
Adult Population:
Adults With NO Vehicle
in the Household:
Location Number % of Total Number % of Total
State of Wisconsin 3,990,736 100%
371,501 100%
City of Milwaukee 425,372 11%
87,300 23%
Milwaukee County Suburbs 268,667 7%
23,831 6%
As seen in the tables below, the number of adults without a vehicle in their household varies greatly
by subpopulation. Older adults, for example, without vehicles in their household reflect statewide
distributions of this age cohort and show less intense concentration in the City of Milwaukee
compared to outstate. The numbers of older adults without vehicles in the household are similar for
the City of Milwaukee as for the Milwaukee County suburbs.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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Wisconsin Older Adults (Ages 55 and Above
) Without a Vehicle in Their Household
Census 2000 PUMS Files
Total Adult
Population (Ages 55+):
Older Population With NO
Vehicle in the Household:
Location Number % of Total Number % of Total
State of Wisconsin 1,111,676 100%
149,158 100%
City of Milwaukee 98,902 9%
24,351 16%
Milwaukee County Suburbs 84,872 8%
14,441 10%
Non-white residents show very different patterns of potential impact of drivers license policies on
voting. Fully, 60 percent of African American adults in Wisconsin without a car or truck in their
household live in the City of Milwaukee.
Wisconsin African American Voting Age Adults
Without a Vehicle in Their Household:
Census 2000 PUMS Files
Adult African American
Population (Ages 18+):
Adult Afr. Americans With NO
Vehicle in the Household:
Location Number % of Total Number % of Total
State of Wisconsin 327,073 100%
80,034 100%
City of Milwaukee 170,209 52%
47,858 60%
Milwaukee County Suburbs 15,264 5%
3,104 4%
Wisconsin White Voting Age Adults
Without a Vehicle in Their Household:
Census 2000 PUMS Files
Adult White
Population (ages 18+):
Adult White Pop. With NO
Vehicle in the Household:
Location Number % of Total Number % of Total
State of Wisconsin 3,663,663 100%
291,467 100%
City of Milwaukee 255,163 10%
39,442 14%
Milwaukee County Suburbs 253,403 7%
20,727 7%
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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VIII. Subpopulations Without a Current License or Photo ID Address
Many people move to another residence at various times and for various reasons. As a result,
some subpopulations will be less likely to have a Wisconsin drivers license or photo ID with a
current address. The Wisconsin drivers license is usually valid for eight years, but many citizens
move frequently and may not update their license address each time they move. According to
the 2000 U.S. Census, 46 percent of Wisconsin households had moved into their current
residence since 1995 or after. This moving population involved 962,425 households. Any of
these residents who had not updated their drivers license to their current address would require
special processing by the local election board or at the polls. Those most effected by proposals
to use the drivers license to verify voters’ current addresses would include the following:
1. Renters. Seventy-six percent of Wisconsin households who are renters changed their
residence between January 1995 and March 2000, and many may have moved multiple
times. (By comparison, 22 percent of households owning their own home had moved
between January 1995 and March 2000.) Almost forty percent of the renting households
moved one or more times in the 2-1/4 year period from January 1999-March 2000.
Differences in Mobility Rates for Wisconsin Households
(Head of household moved within last 5 years: 2000 Census)
91%
76%
67% 67%
48%
92%
77%
42%
26%
19%
11%
98%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Under 24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+
Age of Head of Household
Renters Homeow ners
2. College students. As detailed above, college students do not usually contact the
Department of Transportation each time they move during their college years and instead
maintain their permanent home address on their drivers license.
3. Minorities. Mobility rates differ substantially by racial/ethnic groups in Wisconsin.
According to the 2000 Census, whites are least likely to move with 44 percent of white
households having moved in 1995 or after. By comparison, the mobility rates for Native
Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians ranged from 61 to 75 percent.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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Differences in Mobility Rates by Race/Ethnicity
(Head of household moved within last 5 years: 2000 Census)
75%
74%
63%
61%
44%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Whites Asians Hispanics African
Americans
Native
Americans
Wisconsin Household Heads Who Moved from Jan. 1995 to Mar. 2000 by Race/Ethnicity:
2000 Census
Race/Ethnicity of
Householder
% of Household Heads Who Moved from 1/1995 to
3/2000
Whites 44%
Native Americans 61%
African Americans 63%
Hispanics 74%
Asians 75%
4. Younger adults. Mobility rates for Wisconsin adults differ by the age of the
householder. Statewide, 97 percent of head of households ages 18-24 had moved in 1995
or after. Older adults showed much lower mobility rates.
Wisconsin Households Heads Who Moved from Jan. 1995 to March 2000: 2000 Census
Age of
Householder
% of Household Heads Who Moved from 1/1995 to
3/2000
Under 25 yr. 97%
25-34 years 84%
35-44 years 52%
45-54 years 34%
55-64 years 32%
65 and older 21%
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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IX. Subpopulations Considered in the Drivers License Analysis
Drawing on its prior research work using institutional databases and its work studying the use of
the Wisconsin drivers license for collection of fines and civil forfeitures, the Employment and
Training Institute assessed the extent to which the population of licensed drivers compares to the
state’s estimated eligible voting population. The research identifies subpopulations that are
underrepresented in the drivers license file and who may need separate attention at the polling
place. Examination of DOT records and U.S. Census counts of the state population show
significant subpopulations without a current license.
1. Persons who use mass transit. In cities, persons who use mass transit and do not own a
vehicle may not have or need a drivers license. The City of Milwaukee will have the
largest population of unlicensed residents using mass transit.
2. Lower income residents. Some lower income households may find the costs of
purchasing, maintaining and insuring a vehicle to be prohibitive. Without a car, they
have little reason to obtain a drivers license.
3. Teenagers who don’t own their own car and who have not obtained a license. While
many teenagers obtain a drivers license soon after they turn 16, some do not. In some
households the teenager may not have access to a car or may have access to alternative
transportation from relatives and friends. In Wisconsin drivers license applicants under
age 18 are required to show evidence of completion of a driver education course before
receiving their probationary license – a requirement that presents an economic
impediment in lower-income households, as free drivers education may not be available.
4. Senior citizens. Many older adults give up driving for health or economic reasons.
While only 5 percent of Wisconsin seniors aged 65 and older are in nursing homes, many
others do not drive.
5. Women. Females are disproportionately underrepresented in the drivers license file.
Rates of licensing are lower for Hispanic women and for older white women.
6. Bad drivers. Persons who have lost their drivers license due to suspensions and
revocations include those who lost their licenses for repeat speeding offenses, drunk
driving (“DWI,” or “driving while intoxicated”), or drug convictions.
7. Drivers with unpaid fines. The vast majority of suspended licenses in Wisconsin are for
failure to pay municipal and circuit court fines and civil forfeitures (sometimes called
“driving while poor”). The suspension of drivers licenses for failure to pay fines falls
disproportionately upon citizens of color in the state, who are both disproportionately
poor and also are more likely to be subject to racial profiling. In some cases, college
students also will be overrepresented in this population. For example, a student fails to
pay parking tickets. The agency (municipality, university, etc.) issuing the ticket pays
DOT to put a trap on the student’s vehicle license. The fine costs escalate and if the
student continues driving with an expired plate may result in a traffic citation.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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8. Non-drivers with suspended licenses. In Wisconsin it is possible to receive a
suspended drivers license even if an individual has never had a vehicle-related ticket or
problem. Teenagers cited for being out of their homes after curfew, jaywalking, or
underage drinking may have a suspension placed on their “drivers license” even though
they’ve never actually had a drivers license.
9. Persons with medical or vision problems. Individuals may stop driving or never obtain
a drivers license for medical reasons if they or their physician believe that they are unable
to drive safely. Others may be deemed ineligible to obtain or renew a license based on
their failure to pass the vision test.
This report offers a first-time analysis of the drivers license population by age, gender, race and
geography. Future research analyzing driver’s license suspension issues by type of offense or
collection problem and the race/ethnicity and residence of the driver should provide additional
useful information for voting and other policy issues.
Acknowledgments
Research on drivers license suspension and revocation issues is supported by grants from the
Greater Milwaukee Foundation and the Helen Bader Foundation. Review comments were
provided by the state Department of Transportation staff. Send comments to: John Pawasarat,
Director, Employment and Training Institute, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 161 W.
Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 6000, Milwaukee, WI 53203. For other drivers license reports, see the
Employment and Training Institute website at www.eti.uwm.edu.
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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CENSUS COUNT AND DRIVERS LICENSE STATUS OF YOUNG ADULTS (AGES 18 – 24) IN WISCONSIN
MILWAUKEE COUNTY
BALANCE OF STATE
U.S. CENSUS, ages 18 thru 24 in 2002 U.S. CENSUS, ages 18 thru 24 in 2002
TOTAL WHITE BLACK HISPANIC TOTAL WHITE BLACK HISPANIC
MALES 48,240 26,151 12,391 6,731 MALES 233,423 206,900 6,222 10,027
FEMALES 49,116 26,233 14,269 5,562 FEMALES 220,592 199,522 4,201 7,194
TOTAL 97,356 52,384 26,660 12,293 TOTAL 454,015 406,422 10,423 17,221
18 thru 24 years 18 thru 24 years
VALID WISCONSIN DRIVER LICENSE VALID WISCONSIN DRIVER LICENSE
TOTAL WHITE BLACK HISPANIC TOTAL WHITE BLACK HISPANIC
MALES 19,928 13,917 2,558 2,322 MALES 145,681 134,918 1,562 4,825
FEMALES 24,201 16,758 4,299 1,813 FEMALES 163,024 153,173 1,889 2,929
TOTAL 44,129 30,675 6,857 4,135 TOTAL 308,705 288,091 3,451 7,754
18 thru 24 years 18 thru 24 years
PERCENT WITH A VALID WISCONSIN DRIVER LICENSE PERCENT WITH A VALID WISCONSIN DRIVER LICENSE
TOTAL WHITE BLACK HISPANIC TOTAL WHITE BLACK HISPANIC
MALES 41% 53% 21% 34% MALES 62% 65% 25% 48%
FEMALES 49% 64% 30% 33% FEMALES 74% 77% 45% 41%
TOTAL 45% 59% 26% 34% TOTAL 68% 71% 33% 45%
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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CENSUS COUNT AND DRIVERS LICENSE STATUS OF VOTING AGE ADULTS (AGES 18 AND ABOVE) IN WISCONSIN
MILWAUKEE COUNTY
BALANCE OF STATE
U.S. CENSUS, ages 18 and older as of 2002 U.S. CENSUS, ages 18 and older as of 2002
TOTAL WHITE BLACK HISPANIC TOTAL WHITE BLACK HISPANIC
MALES 337,802 230,688 64,091 28,678 MALES 1,692,811 1,579,255 29,091 41,103
FEMALES 381,237 257,722 84,298 24,632 FEMALES 1,744,759 1,647,897 21,064 30,836
TOTAL 719,039 488,410 148,389 53,310 TOTAL 3,437,570 3,227,152 50,155 71,939
18 YEARS AND OLDER 18 YEARS AND OLDER
VALID WISCONSIN DRIVER LICENSE VALID WISCONSIN DRIVER LICENSE
TOTAL WHITE BLACK HISPANIC TOTAL WHITE BLACK HISPANIC
MALES 222,740 171,809 28,568 13,731 MALES 1,399,635 1,336,496 13,365 23,930
FEMALES 244,245 186,636 40,612 8,950 FEMALES 1,469,271 1,403,222 13,182 13,768
TOTAL 466,985 358,445 69,180 22,681 TOTAL 2,868,906 2,739,718 26,547 37,698
18 YEARS AND OLDER 18 YEAR AND OLDER
PERCENT WITH A VALID WISCONSIN DRIVER LICENSE PERCENT WITH A VALID WISCONSIN DRIVER LICENSE
TOTAL WHITE BLACK HISPANIC TOTAL WHITE BLACK HISPANIC
MALES 66% 74% 45% 48% MALES 83% 85% 46% 58%
FEMALES 64% 72% 48% 36% FEMALES 84% 85% 63% 45%
TOTAL 65% 73% 47% 43% TOTAL 83% 85% 53% 52%
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Employment and Training Institute, www.eti.uwm.edu, June 2005.
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18-24 Year Olds Without Drivers License at Current ZIP Code
(16 Student-Intense ZIP Codes in Wisconsin)
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000
53703 Madison
54601LaCrosse
54901 Oshkosh
53211 UWM - Milwaukee
54481 Stevens Point
54701 Eau Claire
53233 Marquette U.-Milw.
53190 Whitewater
54703 Eau Claire
54751 Stout
53705 Madison
53706 Madison
53715 Madison
54022 River Falls
53818 Platteville
53202 Milwaukee
Young Adults (Ages 18-24)
License at Current Address
No License at Current Address
