Wisconsin

Wisconsin voters caught in the middle as misinformation takes on education | Alice Herman/The Guardian

In Wisconsin, two distinct groups of activists are engaged in campaigns concerning the state’s election system. One, led by former Republican state senator Kathy Bernier, seeks to restore trust in election administration and results, while the other, North of 29, rejects the 2020 election results and spreads false claims of widespread voter fraud, advocating for a return to hand-counting ballots. The persistent misinformation regarding elections, driven by political polarization and prominent figures, has created an environment where both groups can draw in voters, leading to concerns among voting rights advocates about the trend toward hand-counting ballots based on conspiracy theories. Read Article

Wisconsin’s nonpartisan elections director has bipartisan support. She may be driven out anyway. | Zach Montellaro/Politico

Wisconsin Republicans are seeking to remove the state’s nonpartisan elections director, Meagan Wolfe, ahead of the upcoming presidential primary, raising concerns about election integrity. The state Senate is holding a hearing to remove Wolfe, with Democrats alleging that Republicans are retaliating against her for decisions made by the Wisconsin Elections Commission in 2020. This highlights the ongoing impact of election misinformation in Wisconsin, a key swing state, even years after former President Donald Trump’s false claims of a stolen election in 2020. Read Article

Wisconsin: Election conspiracists testify at disputed confirmation hearing for Elections Commission administrator | Henry Redman/Wisconsin Examiner

A Wisconsin Senate elections committee hearing on the disputed confirmation of the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) Administrator Meagan Wolfe turned into a platform for election conspiracy theories and attacks against Wolfe. Wolfe’s four-year term expired at the end of June, but the three Democratic appointees on the WEC abstained from voting on her renomination, preventing the vote from receiving the four votes traditionally required for a motion to pass the body. While the dispute is likely to be decided in court, the hearing brought prominent election deniers and conspiracy theorists to testify against Wolfe’s reappointment, with little pushback from the committee chair, Sen. Dan Knodl (R-Germantown). Read Article

Wisconsin elections administrator won’t appear before Senate committee | Anya van Wagtendonk/Wisconsin Public Radio

Wisconsin’s top election official, Meagan Wolfe, will not appear before a Senate committee hearing about her future in the job following new guidance from the state Department of Justice. This comes amid an ongoing dispute between the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission and the GOP-led Legislature over Wolfe’s future. A hearing was scheduled to discuss Wolfe’s position, which if attended, could lead to official confirmation proceedings and a potential firing. However, Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul has stated that state law does not allow for such proceedings, allowing Wolfe to remain in her post indefinitely. The situation highlights the legal ambiguity around her tenure and its implications for upcoming elections. Read Article

Wisconsin elections chief Meagan Wolfe calls her position ‘untenable’ in commission’s dispute with senators | Molly Beck/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The reappointment of Meagan Wolfe, the administrator of Wisconsin’s elections agency, has become contentious as Republican lawmakers who control the state Senate indicated they are moving forward with her reappointment, potentially resulting in the removal of a key election official ahead of the 2024 presidential election. Wolfe has faced criticism from portions of the Republican base since 2020, and the commission remains split on how to respond to Senate Republicans’ efforts to force Wolfe to undergo nomination proceedings despite a lack of nomination from commissioners. This disagreement has led to uncertainty about her future in the role, with a hearing scheduled and debates about her appearance before the Senate committee. Read Article

Wisconsin elections officials approve redesign of absentee ballot envelopes | Tyler Katzenberger/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has unanimously approved a new design for absentee ballot envelopes, aimed at making it easier for voters to read and complete the envelopes in future elections. The updated design introduces colors to the envelope scheme, moves the clerk’s initial field to the top, and introduces a numbered three-step process for voters to follow. Envelopes come in different colors based on their purpose, making it clearer for both voters and officials. The design was based on feedback from voters and local election officials, and the change is expected to reduce errors and increase the security of the voting process. The new envelopes will be used from the February 2024 spring primary onwards. Read Article

Wisconsin: Fighting election denial one community at a time | Henry Redman/Wisconsin Examiner

Former Republican state Sen. Kathy Bernier and Keep Our Republic, a nonprofit organization, held an event at the Chippewa County Courthouse to restore voters’ trust in Wisconsin’s election systems and counter election misinformation. The event aimed to provide accurate information about the state’s election administration to community leaders and local election officials, so they can respond accurately to voter concerns and questions. Bernier, who has been pushing back against 2020 election conspiracies, hopes that by providing facts and information about the election system, it will help address concerns about election integrity and misinformation that have arisen since the 2020 election. Read Article

How a Wisconsin official became ‘a scapegoat’ for voter fraud falsehoods | Alice Herman/The Guardian

The future of Meagan Wolfe, Wisconsin’s top election administrator, is uncertain as her reappointment has turned into a political showdown with Republicans in the state. Wolfe, a respected and experienced elections official, has been targeted by right-wing conspiracy theories about her role in the 2020 election. False claims that the election was stolen have been pointed at the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC), with Wolfe being blamed as a conspirator to deliver the presidency to Democrats. Her reappointment has become a contentious issue, with right-wing activists and public figures opposing it, leading to concerns about the continued distrust in Wisconsin’s elections as the state approaches another presidential election year. Despite her record of successfully running clean elections during a difficult time in 2020, the attacks on Wolfe persist, and the situation has become a worrying trend for elections experts. Read Article

Wisconsin’s Election Office In Limbo After GOP Tries To Force Out Its Director | Cameron Joseph/Bolts

The job of Wisconsin’s top election official, Meagan Wolfe, is in jeopardy due to a conspiracy-fueled attempt by Republicans to remove her from office. She is widely respected for her nonpartisan management of the Wisconsin Election Commission, but right-wing conspiracy theorists and Republican lawmakers have targeted her, spreading false claims about the 2020 election and blaming her. With her term expiration in July, Democrats blocked a procedural step to confirm her for another term, leaving the situation unstable. The state’s readiness for the 2024 elections could be compromised, and the case will likely be decided in the state supreme court, adding more uncertainty to the process. Read Article

Wisconsin’s top election official interviewed by Federal authorities in 2020 probe | Molly Beck/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Meagan Wolfe, the administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, was interviewed by federal authorities investigating former President Donald Trump’s efforts to subvert the 2020 election leading up to the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection. Wolfe’s interview was part of the ongoing probe conducted by Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is gathering information from officials in battleground states where Trump’s attempts to overturn his election loss were most intense. The investigation aims to understand the events surrounding the insurrection and disinformation campaigns about Wisconsin’s election system that led to unsuccessful Republican efforts to implement new voting restrictions and dismantle the state elections agency. Trump confirmed he is a target of the investigation, and Smith has given him a week to appear before a grand jury. Reasd Article

Wisconsin GOP lawmakers introduce bill to add watermarks to absentee ballots. Clerks say it would create problems. | Hope Karnopp/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin have introduced a bill that would require watermarks on absentee ballots, citing the need to curb public distrust in absentee ballots and restore trust in the election process. However, election clerks argue that the measure would create more problems without solving any. They note that watermarked ballots would pose challenges such as determining the number of watermarked ballots to purchase, ensuring accurate counting by machines, and potential recount and audit problems. Clerks also point out that watermarks could interfere with machine reading and that photocopies of watermarked ballots can still be made. Another bill with bipartisan support is also being considered, which would require military voters to provide their Department of Defense number when requesting an absentee ballot. Election clerks generally support this measure as it adds an additional level of security without significant issues. Read Article

Wisconsin: Battle over top elections official could have ripple effects for 2024 | Harm Venhuizen/Associated Press

The future of Meagan Wolfe, the administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, is in question as Republicans in the state Legislature call for her resignation, accusing her of being part of a plan to rig the 2020 election in favor of President Joe Biden. Despite multiple reports and reviews confirming the fairness and accuracy of the election, Republicans have targeted Wolfe, prompting Democratic election commissioners to seek a workaround to keep her in office beyond her term’s expiration. The outcome of this dispute could have implications for the 2024 presidential contest in Wisconsin, a key battleground state where margins are typically narrow. Read Article

Wisconsin Republicans try to force vote on reappointment of nonpartisan election leader | Scott Bauer/Associated Press

Republicans in control of the Wisconsin Senate have made a surprise move to force a vote on firing the state’s nonpartisan top elections official, Meagan Wolfe, before the 2024 presidential election. Democrats walked out of the Senate chamber in protest, objecting to the unscheduled vote taking place late in the evening. The Republican action is an attempt to circumvent the Wisconsin Elections Commission, which had tried to block the Senate from voting on Wolfe’s confirmation. Democrats fear that the Senate will reject her confirmation, effectively firing her. Wolfe, who has defended her decisions and fought against false claims of election fraud, has served as the state’s elections administrator since 2018 and is highly regarded in the field. Read Article

Wisconsin Elections Commission deadlocks on administrator Meagan Wolfe reappointment | Molly Beck/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Wisconsin state elections commission failed to reach an agreement on whether to reappoint Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe, leaving the future of the state’s top election official uncertain. The commission, consisting of three Democrats and three Republicans, faced a deadlock on the issue, with Democrats abstaining from the vote in an attempt to ensure that Wolfe’s reappointment would be subject to a confirmation vote by the Republican-controlled state Senate. The partisan impasse leaves the leadership of Wisconsin’s election agency in turmoil less than a year before the next presidential election, as Republicans push for Wolfe’s ouster based on unfounded claims about the 2020 presidential election. The situation raises uncertainty about Wolfe’s position and the effective administration of future elections in the state. Read Article

Wisconsin elections fight takes a turn with Senate move to force vote on top administrator Meagan Wolfe | Molly Beck Jessie Opoien/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Wisconsin Republican state senators have passed a resolution to initiate confirmation hearings for Meagan Wolfe, the administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, potentially leading to her removal from office. The surprise move comes after members of the bipartisan state elections commission were deadlocked on reappointing Wolfe, and Democrats abstained from voting to prevent her from undergoing a Senate confirmation process. The maneuver by Republican senators allows them to take up Wolfe’s nomination and send it to the Senate’s elections committee, even though she has not been officially nominated for a new term. Read Article

Wisconsin’s top elections official for 2024 uncertain as incumbent’s term nears end | Harm Venhuizen/Associated Press

The oversight of Wisconsin’s 2024 presidential election remains uncertain as the term of the state’s top nonpartisan elections official, Meagan Wolfe, comes to an end. Republicans, who control the state Legislature, have clashed with Wolfe over conspiracy theories and may have an opportunity to remove her from office and appoint their own candidate. However, a recent state Supreme Court ruling suggests that Wolfe could potentially circumvent the Republicans and stay in office. The situation in Wisconsin is unfolding against the backdrop of a highly contested battleground state, with both parties vying for an advantage. The departure of election officials across the country due to the challenges and threats they faced during the 2020 election cycle has further complicated the situation. Read Article

Wisconsin Republicans Sowed Distrust Over Elections. Now They May Push Out the State’s Top Election Official. | Megan O’Matz/ProPublica

Meagan Wolfe, the election administrator in Wisconsin, is facing an uncertain future as her reappointment hangs in the balance. Wolfe’s tenure has been marred by controversy and threats due to the conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 election. Republicans, who have been critical of the election results, may determine her fate and potentially reset the state’s election dynamics. Wolfe’s potential removal could lead to the appointment of a partisan or election denier, affecting oversight of voting operations in the crucial state for the 2024 presidential race. While election denialism has been rejected in courts and at the polls, it continues to pose a threat. Read Article

Wisconsin: After years of conspiracism, Assembly elections committee finds new spirit of bipartisanship | Henry Redman/Wisconsin Examiner

The Wisconsin Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections, under new chair Rep. Scott Krug, held a public hearing on bipartisan bills aimed at improving the state’s election systems. This marks a change from the committee’s previous leadership, which often fueled partisanship and spread false information about election administration. One bill discussed, AB 299, faced dissent as it proposed changes to the absentee ballot process for military voters, requiring them to provide their Department of Defense identification numbers. Critics argued that this could disenfranchise voters without such numbers and raised concerns about the security of email ballot returns. Verified Voting, a nonpartisan organization, warned that introducing electronic return methods could sow distrust in elections. Other bills discussed included measures to prevent polling place closures, reimburse municipalities for special election costs, and require the archiving of live-streamed election results. Read Article

Wisconsin fake electors trial set to start weeks before 2024 election | Molly Beck/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

A trial in a Wisconsin lawsuit over the actions of 10 Republicans who posed as electors for Donald Trump in the 2020 election will take place in September 2024, just weeks before the next presidential election. Two Wisconsin presidential electors filed the lawsuit seeking to penalize the group of Republicans who falsely represented themselves as members of the Electoral College. The plaintiffs are also seeking damages and want the defendants barred from becoming electors in the future. The lawsuit claims that the Republicans engaged in a conspiracy to defraud voters and played a role in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. The defendants are accused of violating laws governing Electoral College meetings and acting as if they held public offices they did not. The trial will determine the outcome of the case, which has implications for future elections. Read Article

Wisconsin: As voting has gotten harder, organizers have found ways to help | Matt Mencarini/Wisconsin Watch

Despite Wisconsin’s consistently high overall voter turnout, there is a growing concern about declining participation among Black, Hispanic, and lower-income voters. Factors such as closed polling locations and underfunding of elections contribute to this decline. The Cost of Voting Index indicates a link between increased voting difficulty and reduced participation, although the impact varies across different groups. Interestingly, when voting becomes more challenging, it motivates Black voters to come to the polls. The presence of community organizers and local organizations plays a vital role in mobilizing voters and building trust. Governor Tony Evers has proposed various voting-related changes to improve accessibility, such as automatic voter registration, but these proposals face opposition from Republicans. BLOC, an organization dedicated to political engagement and voter education, prioritizes community involvement and plays an active role beyond elections. Read Article

Wisconsin: Bipartisan Bills introduced to Safeguard Election Workers and Enhance Election Protections | Mitchell Schmidt/Wisconsin State Journal

Members of the Wisconsin state Assembly elections committee have introduced a series of bipartisan bills aimed at making changes to the state’s elections. The proposals include added protections for election officials, restrictions on polling place closures, updates to military voting requirements, and reimbursement for certain costs associated with special elections. The bills represent a shift from previous measures that added restrictions on local clerks and were criticized for making it harder to vote. The bills will need to pass both Republican-controlled chambers before reaching the desk of Democratic Governor Tony Evers. Read Article

Wisconsin lawmaker who urged Pence to delay certifying the 2020 election is named to lead Senate elections committee | Molly Beck/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Wisconsin Senate Republican leaders have drawn heavy criticism from Democratic members over the selection of their newest member, Senator Dan Knodl, to lead a committee overseeing elections. Knodl was one of the 15 Wisconsin lawmakers who asked then-Vice President Mike Pence to put off certifying the 2020 presidential results a day before a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol to try to prevent Joe Biden from becoming president. Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard, a Democrat from Madison, said Knodl was unfit to oversee such legislation given his participation in the letter. Bernier, a former election clerk, believes Knodl likely signed the 2021 letter after getting caught up in the false claims swirling around the 2020 presidential contest but has since understood the reality of the election. Read Article

Wisconsin lawmakers unveil bipartisan election overhauls | Harm Venhuizen/Associated Press

Wisconsin lawmakers unveiled bipartisan plans on Thursday to address problems that have disrupted how elections have been administered in the presidential battleground state since 2020. Among other changes, the proposals would prevent last-minute polling site closures, better protect election officials and enact stricter military voting requirements to deter fraud. The bills add to a growing list of proposals from a group of Democrats and Republicans focused on making the state’s elections safer and more secure. Their efforts stand in stark contrast to bills put forth by GOP lawmakers during the last legislative session that sought to limit local clerks’ power and make it harder to vote. One of the bills announced Thursday would raise the penalty for intentionally harming an election official from a misdemeanor to a felony and prohibit public access to records containing an election official’s address. It would also protect election officials from losing their jobs for reporting suspicious activity and fraud. Elections and the people who run them have increasingly become the targets of threats and misinformation in recent cycles, with one in six election officials nationwide reporting that they had been personally threatened, according to a 2022 survey by the Brennan Center for Justice.

Full Article: Wisconsin lawmakers unveil bipartisan election overhauls | AP News

Wisconsin’s Judicial Election Tests Democratic Norms | Alice Clapman/Brennan Center for Justice

The results of Wisconsin’s 2023 election, shifting control away from the conservative majority after 15 years, have set up a critical test for Republicans and, more broadly, for that state’s democratic systems. As a nation, we should pay attention. Wisconsin has long been an example of one party solidifying its political power at the expense of democratic norms. For over a decade, Wisconsin Republicans have entrenched themselves in the legislative majority with two of the worst gerrymanders in the country, drawing districts that have yielded them legislative majorities wildly out of step with their actual share of votes in the state. In 2018, after losing both the governorship and the attorney general’s office, they called a special session to pass, in the literal dead of night, omnibus legislation stripping power from those offices, confirming 82 last-minute executive appointments, and making it harder to vote in future elections. Unfortunately, Wisconsin is far from alone in this respect: in multiple states, such as North Carolina, Iowa, Montana, and Alaska, Republican legislators have been stripping power from other democratically elected branches. And of course, both parties have engaged in gerrymandering, though not to the same degree.

Full Article: Wisconsin’s Judicial Election Tests Democratic Norms | Brennan Center for Justice

Wisconsin: Disabled voters say absentee law not followed | Scott Bauer/Associated Press

Disabled voters say local election leaders across Wisconsin are not following federal law during early voting in the high-stakes race for state Supreme Court, incorrectly telling them they can’t have another person return their absentee ballot for them. Absentee ballots, and who can return them, has been a political flashpoint in battleground Wisconsin, known for razor-thin margins in statewide races. The April 4 election will determine majority control of the state Supreme Court, with abortion access and the fate of Republican-drawn legislative maps on the line. Challenges to laws and practices in at least eight states that make it difficult or impossible for people with certain disabilities to vote have also arisen in the past two years. At the same time, there has been a push in many states to restrict rules affecting who can return absentee ballots. Wisconsin Republicans successfully sued last year to ban absentee ballot drop boxes, and the conservative-controlled state Supreme Court ruled that only the voter can return their ballot in person or place it in the mail. People with disabilities filed a federal lawsuit in response to the state court’s decision, arguing that federal law allows them to get assistance in returning their ballot. A federal court ruled in their favor in August, noting that the Voting Rights Act applies to Wisconsin voters who require assistance with mailing or delivering their absentee ballot because of a disability.

Full Article: Disabled Wisconsin voters say absentee law not followed | AP News

Wisconsin’s disabled voters face barriers amid ‘massive confusion’ | Alice Herman/The Guardian

As Wisconsin’s 4 April supreme court election approaches, disabled voters in the state are pushing elections officials to prioritize protecting the right to vote absentee and with assistance. “I always, always vote absentee,” said Stacy Ellingen, a Wisconsin voter who has cerebral palsy and requires assistance in voting. “If absentee voting wasn’t an option, I honestly wouldn’t be able to vote in most elections.” In February 2022, the Wisconsin supreme court ruled that voters must turn in their own ballots, making no exception for people with disabilities. Although a federal judge later clarified that voters with disabilities did, in fact, reserve the right to assisted voting, the temporary ban has generated lasting confusion at polling places and, in some cases, disenfranchised voters with disabilities. “Municipal clerks are telling people that they cannot accept ballots on someone else’s behalf, which isn’t true,” said Ellingen, who works as a social media ambassador for the Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition. “This whole thing has caused massive confusion among the disability community and has led to some people not voting.”

Full Article: Wisconsin’s disabled voters face barriers amid ‘massive confusion’ | Wisconsin | The Guardian

Wisconsin judicial election could decide the next US president | Andy Wong/The Guardian

The Wisconsin supreme court election – which has been described as the most important election this year – takes place on 4 April, in less than three weeks, and is already the most expensive of its kind in US history. In this race, voters of color will once again be the key to electing a candidate who can safeguard our democracy. The question of whether Trump or another Republican election denier will have a second chance to try to disrupt a democratically decided election – and this time perhaps succeed – could be determined by this one judicial election in the midwest. Recognizing what is at stake, both sides have spent a staggering $27m so far on this race. The election will probably be tight and every vote will count. Wisconsin is majority white, at around 80%, but the state is also at least 20% people of color, according to census data. If Democrats fail to prioritize investing in mobilizing voters of color and inspiring them to turn out to vote, they may lose. Typically, this type of judicial election would barely register as a blip in Wisconsin, let alone gain this much national attention. But the stakes in this battleground state are sky-high, not only because Wisconsin’s future hangs in the balance when it comes to abortion, voting rights, redistricting and elections policy, but also because the judicial seat could be crucial to ensuring a fair presidential election outcome in 2024.

Full Article: This Wisconsin judicial election could decide the next US president | Andy Wong | The Guardian

Wisconsin: Election-denying donors pour millions into key supreme court race | Alice Herman/The Guardian

More than $3.9m has poured into the Wisconsin supreme court election from individuals and groups involved with promoting election disinformation and attempts to overturn the 2020 election, according to an analysis of campaign spending by the Guardian. The contributions, in support of the conservative candidate Daniel Kelly, come amid a race that has broken national campaign spending records. According to a campaign finance tracker by the Brennan Center for Justice, political ad orders for the liberal county judge Janet Protasiewicz and conservative Kelly have reached at least $20m in anticipation of the 4 April general election. The Wisconsin supreme court is currently made up of three judges who lean liberal and four conservatives. Whoever replaces the conservative retiring justice Patience Roggensack will determine the ideological composition of the court, which has been dominated by the right wing for 15 years. At stake in the Wisconsin supreme court race are redistricting, abortion rights, and voting rights and elections policy. And these decisions go beyond the state: Wisconsin has been a critical swing state in recent presidential elections, so its voting policies affect more than just state residents.

Full Article: Election-denying donors pour millions into key Wisconsin supreme court race | Wisconsin | The Guardian

Wisconsin: Bipartisan vote tracking measure brings parties together on elections | Ruth Conniff/Wisconsin Examiner

A Republican-authored bill with bipartisan support in the Wisconsin Legislature would allow voters to track the status of their ballots through text messages sent to their cell phones. Currently, absentee voters must log into MyVote, the Wisconsin Election Commission’s information portal, to make sure their ballots have been received by a clerk. Under Senate Bill 39, introduced by Sens. Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R-Appleton) Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit), Kelda Roys (D-Madison) and Cory Tomczyk (R-Mosinee) voters who apply for absentee ballots can sign up for free text message updates letting them know when their ballots are received. The Secure Democracy Foundation, a national nonprofit group dedicated to building confidence in elections and improving voters’ access to the ballot box across the United States, applauds the Wisconsin measure. … Voters in 49 states including Wisconsin have some sort of ballot-tracking system, and at least eight other states use a system to actively notify voters about the status of their ballots, according to the group.

Source: Bipartisan vote tracking measure brings parties together on elections – Wisconsin Examiner