Saturday, July 5, 2025
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Saturday, July 5, 2025

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Dane County Absentee Ballot Ruling Chips Away at Wisconsin Election Laws [WRN Voices]

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You’d think an “address” would be simple, and not require intervention by a Dane County judge opening the door to more ways to chip around the edges of Wisconsin’s election laws.

In Wisconsin, absentee ballots require validation from both the voter and a witness. On Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2024, a Dane County Judge ruled absentee ballots can’t be tossed for “incomplete” witness address information.

Questions were raised regarding what constitutes an “address” in a recent lawsuit brought by liberal interests who contended municipalities had varying policies on how they interpreted a “complete” address. If the address does not need to be “complete,” what will constitute an acceptable address?

Wisconsin statute 6.87(2) addresses the requirements for how absentee ballots are witnessed by others. Read for yourself:

The witness shall execute the following:

I, the undersigned witness, subject to the penalties of s. 12.60 (1) (b), Wis. Stats., for false statements, certify that I am an adult U.S. citizen and that the above statements are true and the voting procedure was executed as there stated. I am not a candidate for any office on the enclosed ballot (except in the case of an incumbent municipal clerk). I did not solicit or advise the elector to vote for or against any candidate or measure.

….(Printed name) ….(Address) Signed ….

Pretty simple, right? Print your name as a witness, give your address, and sign it. If only.

To review these issues, we should revisit recounts occurring in Dane and Milwaukee Counties following the 2020 Presidential election. This very statute, regarding witness name and address information, was a major part of the discussion and cause for disputed ballots during the 2020 recount process. Additionally, there weren’t spots on the absentee ballots for witnesses to provide their printed names, as is required by statute. Without printed names, and sometimes scant witness information regarding addresses, there is no reasonable way to track witness information.

I spent about 30 hours in the lower level of Monona Terrace working the Dane County recount alongside hundreds of diligent volunteers. Thousands of absentee ballots were reviewed. None had witness-printed names. Most had solidly complete addresses and completed well within any reasonable guidelines.

Several ballots had cryptic information for the address, a few with the pretentious “City” instead of “Madison” as though it was an exclusive club. There was no real way to discern the validity or identity of witnesses. Lots of envelopes had “stamped” addresses representing library branches or other locations. Did a library clerk witness the signature? Did someone have access to a good ‘ol library address stamp? How were we to know which addresses, and more specifically, which witnesses, were valid?

Objections were raised to the Board of Canvassers. Dane County Clerk Scott McDonnell, the chair, would often haughtily inject “voter intent,” and deem the ballot acceptable. Notably, Clerk McDonnell was a candidate on those ballots. Unopposed, but on the ballot. Conflict of interest?

The rationale was that the voter intended to vote, and whether procedures were followed to the letter of the law was immaterial. A day-long hearing was held on Dec. 11, 2020, by the Joint Committee on Campaign and Elections regarding observations, and what transpired across our state in those recounts.

This isn’t intended to revisit the 2020 election. There were several anomalies and questions to which we may never know the answer, but the outward intent of those experiences was to ensure they never happen again.

We all understand human error. Incomplete address information? It happens. Doesn’t always mean ill intent. Maybe this Dane County judge should hear another case regarding addresses, unrelated to election issues.

The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) takes pinpoint accuracy in addresses seriously. Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) is representing School Choice Wisconsin and others in a lawsuit over an “application perfection” rule where address info for choice applicants must match “perfectly.”

No using “N.” instead of “North” for your community name. With limited windows in entry to the program, a small human error can cost students and families dearly in their pursuit of better educational opportunities. The “perfection” idea is absurd, as would enforcing absolute perfection in every single witness address on every ballot.

I’m not a big fan of municipal clerks “curing” ballots. I agree with the position taken last year by a Waukesha County judge prohibiting clerks from adding missing information. The Dane County judge opened the door for the legislature to refine the terms used for address, saying they could “establish a simple, bright-line rule.” Chances are very good such legislation could pass the Republican-controlled legislature. Chances are slim and none that Governor Tony Evers would agree and sign such legislation.

Do we head into 2024 in the dark about what constitutes an acceptable address? It sounds rather small, but it still remains a key part of the verification process of voter and witness information. What’s going to be acceptable? “Citizen of the United States?” It’s up to us to make our voices heard and remain vigilant in our pursuit of election integrity. It’s not the end of this “address.”

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“In Washington County our budget cycle starts right now, and it’s not due until November. We will propose our budget goals to the County Board in the next couple of months. We will share ‘This is what we’re thinking.’ It gives them months of time to think those through, give us feedback, and [have] that kind of dialogue,” Schoemann explained in an interview on News Talk 1130 WISN.

Schoemann said that is far better than the approach Evers is taking again this year.

“That’s not how government is supposed to work,” Schoemann said. “It’s not the vision of the governor. It’s not the vision of any one person.”

Evers and the Republican legislative leaders who will write the budget have been involved in on-again, off-again budget talks this month. On Thursday, the governor’s office said those talks were off once again because of gridlock in the Senate.

“Ultimately, the Senate needs to decide whether they were elected to govern and get things done or not,” Evers spokesperson Britt Cudaback said in a post on X.

Schoemann’s criticism of Evers is nothing new. He has long been a critic of the governor and has turned that criticism up since launching his campaign for governor.

But the recent criticism was also aimed at other Republicans who may jump into the 20206 governor’s race later this year.

“Nobody else in this race on the Republican side, being rumored to this point, has the executive leadership of skills and history to be able to show ‘This is how I’ve done it before, and here’s how we’ll do it Madison,’” Schoemann said. “The results in Washington County speak for themselves.”

Northwoods Congressman Tom Tiffany is also rumored to be looking to get into the Republican race. Before he went to Congress, Tiffany was a Republican lawmaker in Madison.

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Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said Republican Legislative leaders backed out of negotiations after he agreed to “an income tax cut targeting Wisconsin’s middle-class and working families and eliminating income taxes for certain retirees.” He said Republican leaders would not agree to “meaningful increased investments in child care, K-12 schools, and the University of Wisconsin System.”

Republican Assembly leaders said the two sides were "far apart. Senate leaders say Evers’ desires “extend beyond what taxpayers can afford.”

“The Joint Committee on Finance will continue using our long-established practices of crafting a state budget that contains meaningful tax relief and responsible spending levels with the goal of finishing on time,” said a statement from Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and Assembly Finance Co-Chairman Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam.

Evers said that there were meetings between the sides every day this week before the impasse.

“I told Republicans I’d support their half of the deal and their top tax priorities – even though they’re very similar to bills I previously vetoed – because I believe that’s how compromise is supposed to work, and I was ready to make that concession in order to get important things done for Wisconsin’s kids,” Evers said.

Senate Republican leadership said that good faith negotiations have occurred since April on a budget compromise.

“Both sides of these negotiations worked to find compromise and do what is best for the state of Wisconsin,” said a statement from Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, and Senate Joint Finance Co-Chairman Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green.

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DOJ Begins California Title IX Investigation Over ‘Trans’ Boys Dominating Girls’ Sports

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“Title IX exists to protect women and girls in education,” said Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general for Civil Rights. “It is perverse to allow males to compete against girls, invade their private spaces, and take their trophies.”

In February, President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning males from participating in female student sports, and he has threatened to block California's federal funding for continuing to defy his order. With California facing deficits in the tens of billions of dollars each year, it's unclear how the state would offset any losses or pauses in federal funding.

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“As a result of CIF’s policy, California’s top-ranked girls’ triple jumper, and second-ranked girls’ long-jumper, is a boy,” wrote the DOJ. “As recently as May 17, this male athlete was allowed to take winning titles that rightfully belong to female athletes in both events.”

“This male athlete will now be allowed to compete against those female athletes again for a state title in long, triple, and high jump,” continued the DOJ. “Other high school female athletes have alleged that they were likewise robbed of podium positions and spots on their teams after they were forced to compete against males.”

Should the DOJ find California is in violation of Title IX, it says it will “take appropriate action to eliminate that discrimination, including seeking injunctive relief.”