There’s a new approach in the Wisconsin Assembly’s Committee on Campaigns and Elections.
“I want to make sure that everybody here understands that our purpose is to make sure that our already safe and secure elections in Wisconsin need to be made stronger,” says Republican state Rep. Scott Krug of Nekoosa, who now presides over the committee.
He was appointed to the post in December. By confirming that Wisconsin’s elections are already safe and secure, Krug diverges from the former head of the committee — GOP Rep. Janel Brandtjen of Menomonee Falls.
Brandtjen has been a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. She used her position on the committee to further those claims.
For instance, Brandtjen invited testimony from right-wing activists about fraud claims that were refuted by election officials. She staunchly supported former Supreme Court Justice Michael Gabelman’s probe of the 2020 election, which produced no evidence of fraud and cost upwards of $2 million dollars. Brandtjen was removed from the post by GOP Assembly Speaker Robin Vos in December. He said she’s unqualified to have the job.
With Krug at the helm this week, lawmakers held a public hearing on four bipartisan bills. Some are efforts to make voting more accessible. Others are attempts to prevent fraud.
One bill, AB 298, would prevent polling place closures. Democratic Rep. Lena Taylor of Milwaukee noted that 175 polling places were closed in Milwaukee’s 2020 presidential primary because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It truly was an issue to see people standing for six blocks, in the rain, with five polling locations that they had not been notified of in time,” says Taylor.
GOP state Rep. Shae Sortwell of Two Rivers summarized the changes the bill calls for. "Under this bill, a municipality may close no more than 50% of its polling locations unless voted on by its legislative body, its City Council, more than 30 days prior to an election and after a public hearing on the proposed discontinuation," he says. "Within 30 days before an election and polling location may only close with the approval of the head of the municipalities legislative body."
Legislators also took up bills about broadcasting election night proceedings (AB 282), funding special elections (AB 283) and AB 299, requiring identification for military absentee voting. The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign opposed the latter, a nonpartisan campaign finance watchdog — as putting up obstacles for veterans to vote.
