Wisconsin voters will soon decide on whether private funds can be used to administer elections in the battleground state.
Swing-state voters will see two new questions on the April 2 primary ballot, which, if approved, would be added to the state’s constitution, the Associated Press reported. In addition to voters deciding whether accepting private donations is unconstitutional, the other question they will consider is whether only election officials can perform election duties. While the state already has a law detailing poll worker requirements, the amendment could enshrine it in the state constitution, which would make it more challenging to change the law.
Both amendments have been proposed by the Republican-controlled legislature, and they come in response to skepticism over a private grant donated by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to the Center for Tech and Civic Life, a liberal group that then sent funds to cities and communities during the 2020 elections. Republicans dubbed the funds “Zuckerbucks.”
The millions of dollars were dispersed among the state’s five largest cities to help run elections during the COVID-19 pandemic. In an effort to avoid Gov. Tony Evers’s (D-WI) veto, state Republicans are attempting to amend the constitution through Wisconsin voters.
While Republican lawmakers defended the proposals, saying that their approval would fend off financial pressure from large donors, ensuring safe and fair elections in Wisconsin, all Democratic lawmakers voted against the amendment, claiming that it would weaken voter participation.
“These proposals, under the guise of protecting our elections, are nothing more than thinly veiled attempts to restrict voting rights and undermine the very foundations of our democratic system,” said Sam Liebert, the state director of All Voting is Local Action Wisconsin, a left-leaning advocacy group, the outlet reported.
Meanwhile, retired Republican state Sen. Kathy Bernier defended the two proposed amendments, saying that the private funds came with strings attached, the Wisconsin Examiner reported.
“The problem with the third party funding, is there were strings attached, there was criteria in order to obtain that third party funding. That is the problem,” Bernier said. “So you do not need or want election officials out where they’re turning out the voters — as what has always been done by the parties or the candidates.”
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In addition to the two new April ballot questions, in August, voters will decide whether or not to give the Republican-controlled legislature a say in how federal money is spent, not just letting Evers decide. Since the 2020 elections, 27 other states have banned or limited private donations for elections, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The amendments are a result of criticism from Republicans and former President Donald Trump over the 2020 elections in Wisconsin, where President Joe Biden defeated Trump by less than 1% of votes. The close election, which Trump claimed was fraudulent with no evidence to back it up, triggered state Republicans to organize a recall effort against their top GOP leader, Robin Vos, for not decertifying Biden’s win following the election.