Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers says he would veto GOP efforts to abolish elections commission

Gov. Tony Evers (D-WI) said he would veto Republican efforts to abolish the state’s bipartisan elections commission and transfer power to the secretary of state as the 2024 election approaches.

“Under no circumstances, simple as that,” Evers said this weekend on WISN’s ‘UpFront.’ “It’s ridiculous, I have to put it that way. Moving it to the secretary of state and having the secretary of state essentially be overseen by the legislature, that’s a non-starter.”

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Last week, Republicans in Wisconsin’s legislature introduced a bill that would dissolve the Wisconsin Elections Commission, a bipartisan panel of six that oversees elections across the state. The bill would require the commission to transfer power to Wisconsin’s secretary of state, proposing a June 30, 2024, deadline to dissolve the WEC.

“We’ve got a good system,” Evers said. “We’ve got a good leader in the system, and I’m going to veto anything that moves us in a different direction.”

Backed by GOP state Senate Elections Committee Chairman Dan Knodl and 10 other Assembly Republicans, the bill would require the secretary of state, Democrat Sarah Godlewski, to consult with the legislature before making decisions relating to the election administration.

Evers appointed Godlewski to serve as secretary of state earlier this year, telling WISN she’s “a very capable person, but we have a good system now.”

The WEC was adopted in 2016 under former Gov. Scott Walker, replacing the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, which oversaw state elections since 2008. The WEC is composed of an equal number of Republicans and Democrats, and members are appointed by the governor and legislative leaders.

Ruthie Hauge/AP

Wisconsin Republicans have taken up multiple measures to switch up election rules in the battleground state, including a convoluted effort to oust the state’s top election official. Republicans in the state Senate voted in September to oust Meagan Wolfe as elections administrator, with Democrats and the state’s Attorney General Josh Kaul filing a lawsuit to confirm the vote held no effect.

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Dane County Circuit Court Judge Ann Peacock ruled that the state Senate vote had no legal effect and Wolfe could continue serving as head of the commission on Oct. 27.

Assembly Republicans persisted, however, introducing impeachment articles against Wolfe. They were referred to a committee by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos in November.