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☆ Wisconsin mayor carts away absentee ballot drop box, says he did nothing wrong
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Associated Press | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Madison, Wisconsin CNN —The mayor of a central Wisconsin city who ran for office on his opposition to absentee ballot drop boxes said Wednesday he did nothing wrong when he put on work gloves, donned a hard hat and used a dolly to cart away a drop box outside City Hall. Drop boxes were widely used in 2020, fueled by a dramatic increase in absentee voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Wausau, with about 40,000 people, was among the cities that did not use an absentee drop box in the August state primary. The Wausau drop box was under video surveillance but had not yet been bolted down. Wausau resident Pamela Bannister, speaking at a city council meeting Tuesday night, called for Diny to apologize and return the drop box.

Persons: Doug Diny, ” Diny, “ I’m, Donald Trump, Trump, Diny, Kaitlyn Bernarde, ” Bernarde, wouldn’t, he’s, “, ”, Anne Jacobson, Pamela Bannister, ” Bannister Organizations: Wisconsin CNN, Wausau, City, Republican Party, Republican, Stanford, MIT, Republicans, The, The Wisconsin Supreme, Wisconsin Elections, City Hall, U.S, Election Locations: Madison, Wisconsin, Hall, Milwaukee County, Waukesha County, Dodge County, Milwaukee, The Wisconsin, Wausau, Marathon County, ” The Wisconsin, City

The bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission asked the state Supreme Court to decide which maps should be used for any recall or special election that's held before November. At best, they said, any action by the court is premature because the question was not properly before the court. They also noted that no recall election has been ordered yet. The commission has until April 11 to determine whether a recall election should be called. They blamed the confusion over district boundaries on the liberal court majority that overturned the legislative maps and ordered new ones.

Persons: Donald Trump, Robin Vos, Joe Biden's, that's, Vos, it's, Tony Evers don’t, Annette Ziegler, Rebecca Bradley, “, ” Ziegler, Bradley, ” Organizations: Republican, Commission, Wisconsin Supreme, Democratic Gov, Conservative, WEC Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Racine County

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin voters are set to decide next month whether to make it unconstitutional to accept private grant money to help administer state elections, one of two Republican-backed ballot measures that Democrats say are meant to make it harder to conduct elections in the presidential battleground state. The Wisconsin measures are supported by Republicans and conservative groups and opposed by an array of government watchdog and liberal groups including the American Civil Liberties Union, Common Cause Wisconsin, Wisconsin Conservation Voters and the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin. Three courts and the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission rejected complaints challenging the legality of the grant money. It’s unclear how adoption of the amendment would change current practice, other than place requirements currently in state law into the constitution. Federal law already requires U.S. citizenship to vote in national elections and no state constitutions explicitly allow noncitizens to vote in state or local elections.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Sen, Eric Wimberger, ”, Mark Zuckerberg, Priscilla Chan, Biden, Zuckerbucks ”, ” Kyle Koenen, Zuckerberg, Chan, Tony Evers, Evers, noncitizens Organizations: —, Republicans, American Civil Liberties Union, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, League of Women Voters of, Democratic, Center for Tech, Facebook, “, Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, Democratic Gov, Wisconsin, Bureau Locations: MADISON, Wis, — Wisconsin, Wisconsin, League of Women Voters of Wisconsin

It is up to the six-member elections commission, evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, to decide whether there are sufficient signatures to trigger the recall election. Recall organizers said they submitted nearly 11,000 signatures to the Wisconsin Elections Commission on Monday. But after an initial review of those signatures, commission staff said there were 9,053 potentially valid signatures. Only 3,364 signatures collected are in the new Assembly district that Vos resides in, which would also fall short of the total needed. If a petition is determined to be sufficient, a recall election must be called for six weeks later.

Persons: Donald Trump, Wisconsin's, Robin Vos, Circulators, Vos, Joe Biden's, Tony Evers, Evers, Matthew Snorek, Snorek, Trump, Meagan Wolfe Organizations: —, Republican, Republicans, Trump, Wisconsin Supreme, Democratic Gov, Assembly District, District, GOP Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Wisconsin’s Racine, Burlington

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Backers of an effort to oust Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos from office over his opposition to former President Donald Trump announced Sunday that they’ve collected enough signatures to force a recall vote. Supporters of the recall campaign plan to present signatures Monday to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, saying they have more than the required 6,850 signatures from voters in Vos' southeast Wisconsin district. Vos has dismissed the recall attempt as a waste of time and resources, which he reiterated in a statement Sunday. That includes how Vos refused attempts from Trump and his supporters to decertify Biden’s win and how he didn’t move forward with impeaching Wisconsin’s top elections official. Trump narrowly won Wisconsin in 2016 but lost to President Joe Biden by a similar margin of about 21,000 votes in 2020.

Persons: Robin Vos, Donald Trump, Vos, they’ve, ” Matt Snorek, Trump’s, Trump, decertify, impeaching, Joe Biden, Tony Evers, Snorek Organizations: Wisconsin Republican, Wisconsin, Democratic Gov Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Vos ', Wisconsin district, “

The commission voted 5-1 Thursday, with Republican Commissioner Bob Spindell opposed, to adopt the new guidance for absentee ballot envelopes with a “missing” address, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. Under previous guidance, clerks were required to reach out to voters to correct absentee ballot envelopes that had “incomplete or insufficient” witness address information before those ballots could be accepted. Every vote is critical in Wisconsin, where each of the last two presidential elections in Wisconsin was decided by fewer than 23,000 votes. Ever since Trump’s defeat in Wisconsin in 2020, Republicans have been fighting in court to tighten the rules to limit how many absentee ballots can be accepted. State law requires absentee ballots to be submitted with a witness’s signature and address on the outside envelope that contains the ballot.

Persons: Bob Spindell, Spindell, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Dane County, Ryan Nilsestuen, Nilsestuen, ”, ” “ Organizations: Republican, Wisconsin State, Democratic, USA, The Marquette University Law, Rise Inc, League of Women Voters, Wisconsin Supreme, Legislative Locations: MADISON, Wis, The Wisconsin, Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Republican member of the Wisconsin Elections Commission who has faced calls to resign after falsely declaring that former President Donald Trump won the state claimed Thursday that he's done more for Black people than any other white Republican. Bob Spindell, who is white, made the remark after two members of the public called for him to resign during a commission meeting. “There is no white Republican that has done more for the Black community than me, so I suggest you go back and take a look at my past record,” Spindell said. Spindell credited a “well thought out multi-faceted plan” that included recruiting strong Republican candidates and reaching out to Black voters. “It’s very, very reassuring to me that Commissioner Spindell has come out boldly and said that Joseph Biden won in 2020," Thomsen said.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Bob Spindell, Spindell, Devin LeMahieu, ” Spindell, Nichols Ramos, Ramos, Spindell's, “, Joe Biden, Biden, Mark Thomsen, ” Biden, Joseph Biden, Thomsen, ” LeMahieu Organizations: Republican, Wisconsin Democracy, City, Democratic, Democrats, Trump, Wisconsin Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Black, Milwaukee, City of Milwaukee, ”

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Republicans urged the state Supreme Court on Thursday to ignore a report from redistricting consultants that determined GOP-proposed legislative maps were unconstitutional partisan gerrymanders. The liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled in December that the current Republican-drawn legislative maps were unconstitutional because not all the districts were contiguous. The court ordered the parties involved in the lawsuit to submit new maps that a pair of consultants then reviewed. While those talks continue, the Supreme Court accepted responses Thursday from Republicans and Democrats to the consultants report. Attorneys for the Legislature argued in their court filing Thursday that the consultants' report was about finding a political remedy to redistricting, not addressing the continuity issue.

Persons: Tony Evers, Evers, Tyler August, Janet Protasiewicz, “, ” Organizations: — Wisconsin Republicans, GOP, Republicans, Assembly, Republican, Democratic Gov, Democrats, U.S, Supreme, Democratic, Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Democrats are inching closer to overturning Republican-drawn legislative maps that the GOP has used over the past 13 years to grow their majorities and advance their agenda. Republican maps adopted in 2022 by the conservative-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court used the 2011 map as a template and kept largely the same lines in place. The Wisconsin Supreme Court in December agreed and ordered new maps to be drawn in time for the November election. Her vote was the difference maker in the 4-3 December ruling tossing the Republican maps. The Wisconsin Supreme Court also has been asked by Democrats to take up a challenge to the state’s congressional district lines.

Persons: Janet Protasiewicz, Protasiewicz shouldn't, Tony Evers, It's Organizations: —, — Wisconsin Democrats, Republican, GOP, Republicans, Wisconsin Supreme, Democrats, Senate, U.S, Supreme, Republican Legislature, Democratic, Democratic Gov, . House Locations: MADISON, Wis, — Wisconsin, Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court ordered state elections officials Friday to include U.S. Rep Dean Phillips on the state's Democratic presidential primary ballot, finding that Democrats on a bipartisan presidential selection committee who left him off the ballot without a discussion should have at least talked about him. “Today, the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck a blow against the anti-democratic attempts by Biden allies to unlawfully keep Congressman Dean Phillips off the ballot," Phillips campaign officials said in a statement. “We conclude that the Presidential Preference Selection Committee erroneously exercised its discretion under (state law) with respect to Phillips,” the ruling said. Phillips has been certified to appear on the primary ballot in other states. The Wisconsin selection committee also placed former President Donald Trump and five other Republican challengers, including four who have since ceased campaigning, on the ballot.

Persons: Rep Dean Phillips, Joe Biden, Phillips, Biden, Dean Phillips, didn't, Donald Trump Organizations: Wisconsin Supreme Court, U.S, Rep, Democratic, “, Wisconsin Supreme, State Justice Department, Biden, Republican Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Hampshire

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the state elections commission not to transmit the presidential primary ballot to county clerks as it ponders an attempt by Democratic U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips to get added as a candidate. The order comes six days after Phillips asked the court to intervene and have his name added to the ballot in the battleground state after state Democratic leaders on a presidential selection committee did not include it. The Supreme Court's one-sentence order Thursday directed the Wisconsin Elections Commission not to transmit the ballot until further notice. The court has yet to decide whether it will rule in the case, but it has accepted arguments from Phillips, the elections commission and the presidential selection committee. Attorneys from the state Department of Justice representing the elections commission and the presidential selection committee said in court filings Wednesday that Philllips' challenge should be rejected because he brought it too late.

Persons: Dean Phillips, Phillips, Joe Biden, feasibly, ” Phillips, Biden, Donald Trump Organizations: Wisconsin Supreme, Democratic U.S . Rep, Democratic, Democrat, Department of Justice, Republican Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Congress

Phillips last week asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to order that his name be added to the primary ballot in the battleground state after he was excluded by the state’s top Democrats who only put President Joe Biden’s name on the April 2 primary ballot. The bipartisan presidential selection committee that didn't forward his name in time, as well as the Wisconsin Elections Commission, told the Supreme Court in a joint response on Wednesday that Phillips waited too long. They also argued that Phillips has no standing to bring the challenge because the presidential selection committee has the sole discretion to decide who gets on the ballot. The Wisconsin Elections Commission traditionally just accepts the recommendations from party leaders that come forward through the presidential selection committee. Phillips has been certified to appear on the primary ballot in other states.

Persons: Dean Phillips, Phillips, Joe Biden’s, “ Phillips, feasibly, Biden, Donald Trump, ” Phillips, Joe Biden, ” Biden Organizations: — Democratic, U.S . Rep, Republican, Democratic, Commission, “, Party Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Congress, Hampshire

Ever since Trump's defeat in Wisconsin in 2020, Republicans have been fighting in court to tighten the rules to limit how many absentee ballots can be accepted. State law requires absentee ballots to be submitted with a witness’ signature and address on the outside envelope that contains the ballot. The local clerks are the ones who run elections and receive the absentee ballots that don’t always have all of the witness address information. Among those he wanted to not count were about 5,500 absentee ballots where clerks filled in missing information on the witness' address. The judge on Tuesday spelled out four ways a witness address could be accepted with some missing information.

Persons: Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Dane County, Ryan Nilsestuen, Nilsestuen, Kevin LeRoy, don’t, “ We’ll, Bellavia, ”, ” “ Organizations: Republican Legislature, Republican, Wisconsin Supreme, WEC, Rise Inc, League of Women Voters of, Legislative Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Waukesha County, Dane County, League of Women Voters of Wisconsin

On Monday, the Wisconsin Supreme Court gave the committee that put forward Biden's name as the only Democratic candidate, as well as the state elections commission, until Wednesday to respond. Former President Donald Trump and five of his challengers, including four who have ceased campaigning, will also be on the Wisconsin ballot. A spokesperson for the Wisconsin Democratic Party declined to comment. Phillips is asking the court to order the elections commission to add him to the list of certified candidates on the primary ballot. The Wisconsin Supreme Court must first decide whether to accept the case, and if it does, then issue a ruling.

Persons: Dean Phillips, Joe Biden's, Phillips, Donald Trump, Biden, Riley Vetterkind, ” Phillips, Joe Biden, ” Biden Organizations: — Democratic, U.S . Rep, Democratic, Republican, Wisconsin Democratic Party, Commission, “, Party Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Congress, Hampshire

☆ Wisconsin Supreme Court, now under liberal control, overturns Republican-favored legislative maps
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-22 | by ( Andrew Menezes | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the state’s legislative maps, which give Republicans the advantage, are unconstitutional and ordered new lines drawn for the 2024 election. “We are hopeful that the legislative process will produce new legislative district maps,” the ruling stated. During the campaign, now-Justice Janet Protasiewicz, the liberal-favored candidate, called the legislative maps “rigged” and “unfair” and suggested courts should evaluate their constitutionality. After she was seated in August, Democratic-backed groups filed two lawsuits asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to throw out the Republican-drawn maps. “Fortunately, the U.S. Supreme Court will have the last word.”This story has been updated with additional details.

Persons: “, Sam Hirsch, Tony Evers, Friday’s, ”, ” Evers, Annette Ziegler, Janet Protasiewicz, Protasiewicz, Robin Vos, Vos, CNN’s Eric Bradner, Brad Parks Organizations: CNN, Wisconsin Supreme, US, Badger State, Legislature, ”, ” Wisconsin Gov, Democratic, Republican, U.S, Supreme Locations: Wisconsin, ” Wisconsin, ” “ Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A vote by the Republican-controlled Wisconsin Senate last month to fire the state's nonpartisan top elections official had no legal effect, and lawmakers are barred from ousting her while a lawsuit plays out, a Dane County judge ruled on Friday. Administrator Meagan Wolfe will continue serving as head of the Wisconsin Elections Commission pending a decision on whether elections commissioners are legally required to appoint someone for the Senate to confirm, Judge Ann Peacock said. They also asked Peacock to order the elections commission to appoint an administrator for the Senate to vote on. The bipartisan elections commission deadlocked in June on a vote to reappoint Wolfe. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

Persons: Meagan Wolfe, Ann Peacock, Wolfe, Josh Kaul, Peacock, ” Kaul, reappoint Wolfe, Joseph Czarnezki, Joe Biden, Biden, Donald Trump, ” Organizations: Republican, Wisconsin Senate, Senate Republicans, Senate, Democratic, GOP, Republicans, WEC, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Dane

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republicans who control the Wisconsin Senate's elections committee retaliated Tuesday against one of the three Democratic elections commissioners who tried to block them from voting to fire the state's nonpartisan top elections official earlier this year. The committee voted along party lines against confirming Democratic Commissioner Joseph Czarnezki, who was appointed to the Wisconsin Elections Commission in May by Democratic Gov. The bipartisan elections commission, which consists of three Democrats and three Republicans, deadlocked in June on a vote to reappoint nonpartisan Administrator Meagan Wolfe. Senate Republicans proceeded anyways, voting last month to fire her. Democratic Sen. Mark Spreitzer, a member of the elections committee, accused Republicans of bowing to pressure from elections skeptics on Tuesday.

Persons: Joseph Czarnezki, Tony Evers, Meagan Wolfe, Czarnezki, Wolfe, Josh Kaul, Republican Sen, Dan Knodl, ”, ” Czarnezki, “ I'm, Joe Biden, Biden, Donald Trump, Democratic Sen, Mark Spreitzer, “, Evers, Scott Walker, ” Evers Organizations: —, Democratic, Commission, Democratic Gov, GOP, Republican, Senate, Republicans, Republican Gov, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County, Milwaukee

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Senate was set to vote Thursday on firing the battleground state's top elections official — a move that was denounced by Democrats as illegitimate and is expected to draw a legal battle. Nonpartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe has been the subject of conspiracy theories and threats from election skeptics who falsely claim she was part of a plan to rig the 2020 vote in Wisconsin. The bipartisan elections commission deadlocked in June on a vote to nominate Wolfe for a second four-year term. In addition to carrying out the decisions of the elections commission, Wolfe helps guide Wisconsin’s more than 1,800 local clerks who actually run elections. Since the 2020 election, some Republicans have floated the idea of abolishing or overhauling the elections commission.

Persons: Meagan Wolfe, Wolfe, Devin LeMahieu, Josh Kaul, Kaul, Michael Haas, Scott Walker's, ERIC Organizations: Republican, Wisconsin Senate, GOP, Democratic, Biden, Trump, Republicans, Government, Board, Republican Gov, National Association of State, Registration, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Senate's elections committee was set to vote Monday on the future of the battleground state's top elections official, clearing the way for the full Republican-controlled Senate to vote on firing her as soon as Thursday. Democrats have accused GOP leaders of improperly pushing through the confirmation process for nonpartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe after the commission's three Republicans and three Democrats deadlocked along party lines in a reappointment vote in June. Wolfe did not attend a public hearing the Senate elections committee held last month on her reappointment. That hearing attracted dozens of election skeptics who repeated widely debunked claims about the 2020 election and called for Wolfe to be fired or even arrested. Elections observers have raised concerns that firing Wolfe or disputing her position through the 2024 election could encourage election skeptics who have already harassed and threatened election officials over the 2020 election.

Persons: Meagan Wolfe, reappoint Wolfe, Wolfe, Joe Biden, Biden, Donald Trump, ___ Organizations: Republican, Democratic, Republicans, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: MADISON, Wis, Wisconsin

☆ If you voted early and changed your mind, you can switch your choice in several states — here's how
▼ + stars: | 2020-11-02 | by ( Rebecca Harrington | Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

But some voters who have a change of heart can alter their early vote after casting it. A handful of states allow voters to switch their votes before Election Day, but they have different restrictions and deadlines. Ballots cast early this year surpassed total early votes in 2016 a full nine days before Election Day. But some voters who have a change of heart can alter their early vote after casting it. A handful of states allow voters to switch their votes before Election Day, but they have different restrictions and deadlines.

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