November 9, 2023
MADISON, Wisconsin — Today, the Wisconsin Assembly passed three election administration-focused resolutions, which will now be put in front of Wisconsin voters in upcoming elections, with Resolutions 71 and 78 slated to be on next April’s general election’s ballot. If passed, Senate Joint Resolutions 71, 73, and 78 would outlaw private funding for elections administration, enshrine the existing voter photo ID requirements in the state constitution, and specify that only U.S. citizens are eligible to vote in state and local elections. In response, All Voting is Local Action Wisconsin State Director Sam Liebert released the following statement:
“We are extremely disappointed that the Wisconsin Assembly decided to move these three anti-voter resolutions forward. Under the guise of protecting our elections, proponents of these resolutions are attempting to restrict voting rights and undermine the foundations of our democracy. Preventing these resolutions from going forward was a perfect opportunity for our officials to stand firm in defending the rights and inclusivity of all eligible voters in the state. Now, it’s up to Wisconsin voters to show them how it’s done, and we urge every voter in the state to vote NO on these amendments when they see them on their ballots in April and other future elections.”
Background
While resolution 71 aims to enshrine and limit voting to U.S. citizens, a non-issue in the state, resolution 73 focuses on adding some of the strictest voter-ID laws in the nation to the state constitution; these voter-ID laws negatively impact low-income, Black, and Latino voters. Resolution 78 seeks to restrict state and local governments from using privately sourced funds for equipment.