Madison, WI – The Wisconsin Senate passed four election integrity bills this week, three were authored by Sen. Duey Stroebel (R – Saukville) and one was authored by Sen. Alberta Darling (R – River Hills).
These bills are part of a larger package of election integrity reforms moving through the legislature.
“We must restore confidence and trust in our elections, and these bills are the first step in doing that,” said Sen. Stroebel. “Prior to, during and after the 2020 election, public polls showed segments of our population lacked faith in the process and outcomes of elections. These bills are designed to make it easy to vote, but hard to cheat.”
SB 207 protects Wisconsin elections from out-of-state billionaires who attempt to buy elections through election administration. “Election administration is a sacred function of government and it should never be for sale. Out-of-state billionaires must never be the ones who pay for election administration in our state,” Stroebel said. The bill passed the Senate on a voice vote.
SB 208 increases transparency at the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) by requiring the online publication of the Commission’s meeting minutes. “We require small towns and other governing bodies to post meeting minutes, it just makes sense to require the same of the Elections Commission. Meeting minutes allow citizens to quickly stay up-to-date on the latest decisions that impact their lives and I’m glad this bill passed the Senate,” said Stroebel.
SB 213, the final Stroebel bill passed, expands enforcement options for election law violations. First, the bill authorizes parties to an election law dispute to immediately pursue a judicial remedy in court if they choose to not use the existing WEC complaint process. Second, the bill authorizes District Attorneys in any county to investigate election law violations in an adjacent county. The bill preserves the right of DAs to also investigate election law violations within their own county.
“Election law enforcement is important because voters want to know that the laws and rules in place will be followed. Adherence to the rule of law is what fosters trust in election outcomes and enables the peaceful transfer of power. This bill increases options for election law enforcement and broadens access to speedy justice,” said Stroebel.
The fourth bill, SB 210, is authored by Sen. Darling and establishes stronger protections for election and recount observers.
Sen. Stroebel represents the 20th Senate District, which is comprised of portions of Ozaukee, Washington, Fond du Lac, Calumet and Sheboygan Counties.
