Wisconsin Voters Approve Republican-Backed Election Integrity Ballot Initiatives

Wisconsin Approves Republican-Backed Election Integrity Ballot Initiatives

In a significant development, Wisconsin has approved two Republican-backed election integrity ballot initiatives that will bring about changes in how the battleground state conducts elections ahead of November. The Associated Press reported that the swing-state voters considered one measure to ban the private funding of elections and another that would regulate who can perform election-related tasks. The first question received 52% support, while the second question received 55.5% support, according to projections at the time of writing.

The first measure aims to target the private funding of elections, particularly referencing the large sums of money poured into election offices across the country in 2020 by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. The Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL), a left-wing nonprofit, received approximately $350 million from this initiative to assist with the administration of elections during the COVID-19 pandemic. Wisconsin received $10 million from CTCL for its election efforts last cycle.

Conservatives argue that such private funding was used to unfairly boost Democratic turnout in 2020, as the funds were primarily directed towards left-leaning urban areas. In response, 27 states have either outlawed or restricted private funding in elections since the 2020 cycle.

The second measure would prohibit individuals from carrying out election-related duties unless they are designated as an “election official” by law. The state GOP, along with Republican lawmakers like Sen. Ron Johnson and Rep. Bryan Steil, encouraged voters to support both ballot initiatives. On the other hand, the Wisconsin Democratic Party opposes these measures.

The approval of these ballot initiatives comes after Democratic Gov. Tony Evers vetoed similar Republican-backed legislation in the past, prompting GOP lawmakers to present the measures directly to Wisconsin voters.

Wisconsin is gearing up for two crucial elections in November – a rematch between former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden, as well as a Senate race that could determine the control of the upper chamber. A recent poll showed Trump leading Biden by four points in the battleground state, while Republican Eric Hovde is trailing Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin by three points.

The approval of these election integrity measures sets the stage for a contentious election season in Wisconsin, with both parties gearing up for a fierce battle to secure victory in November.