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Wisconsin voters approve measures that will change the way elections are run in the battleground state

Updated: Apr 6





Wisconsin voters on Tuesday night approved two Republican-backed measures that will change the way elections are run in the pivotal battleground state. 


A majority of Wisconsin voters supported a state constitutional amendment to prevent local governments from using private donations to fund the administrative side of elections. They also voted in favor of a rule that prohibits anyone other than election officials from performing election-related duties.  


Republicans have championed the amendments as methods of decreasing outside influence on the state’s elections. Meanwhile, Democrats have opposed them, arguing they lead to unnecessary ambiguity for election officials, especially as they have struggled with resources in recent years.  


The measures are aimed at addressing concerns conservatives had during the 2020 election over millions of dollars in grants being donated to Wisconsin’s largest cities by a voting rights group. 


That year, the Center for Tech and Civic Life donated more than $8 million to five major Wisconsin hubs as part of a national initiative to help local governments manage the costs associated with elections during the COVID-19 pandemic.  


Election officials who received the money said it helped them meet increased demand for absentee ballots and vote-by-mail initiatives. But Republican groups argued the money was largely spent in Democratic strongholds and tilted the results of the race.  


Related video: Voters eager to cast ballots in Wisconsin spring election, despite terrible weather (WTMJ Milwaukee, WI)


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