November 7, 2023
MADISON, Wisconsin — Today, the Wisconsin Senate passed election administration-focused resolutions. Senate Joint Resolutions 71, 73, and 78 would outlaw private funding for elections administration, enshrine 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 disappointed to see that the Wisconsin Senate voted to pass the three anti-voter and unnecessary resolutions and advance them to an Assembly vote. These proposals, under the guise of protecting our elections, are nothing more than thinly veiled attempts to restrict voting rights and undermine the very foundations of our democratic system. It is our duty to stand firm in defending the rights and inclusivity of all eligible voters in our democracy, and we call on Speaker Vos and the Assembly to stop these resolutions for the sake of Wisconsin voters.”
Background
If passed through the Wisconsin Assembly, resolutions 71 and 78 will be put in front of voters in next April’s general election.
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. Resolution 78 seeks to restrict state and local governments from using privately sourced funds for equipment.