2020 Election Skeptics Could Guide Policy In Wisconsin

Election denier groups are advising Wisconsin officials on poll observer rules. True the Vote, the conspiracy theory organization that falsely claims an army of “2000 mules” stole the election for Joe Biden, was represented on the committee by a local Republican who previously had said Wisconsin elections were “being conducted by lawless groups of individuals.” Another seat at the table went to the Wisconsin Election Integrity Network — a local affiliate of a national, Donald Trump-backed group of the same name whose leader has said of Democrats, “The only way they win is to cheat.” Given the committee’s relatively small size — fewer than 20 people attended each meeting — the representatives from these organizations and others sympathetic to them constituted a significant presence. “The issue with observer rules isn’t about what people believe; it’s about their behavior at the polls,” said Ann Jacobs, a Democrat on the Wisconsin Elections Commission, which approved the committee and chose its members. “Whether you believe that Italian thermostats programmed by Che Guevara manipulated an election, or whether or not you just want to go and see democracy in process, observer rules need to apply to everyone.” - Ann Jacobs, Wisconsin Elections Commission ‘Trying To Find Evidence Of Fraud’ Wisconsin law includes just a few paragraphs on election observers, and details are sparse or nonexistent. The Wisconsin Election Integrity Network, representative Julie Seegers said, “would like to see observers to be able to roam, staying 3 feet away from any process that would interfere with elections.” Ken Dragotta, True the Vote’s representative on the committee, argued that “roaming is a necessary part of observing,” and that setting aside limited areas for observers was akin to “a penalty box” and “as offensive as can be.” Several Democratic and nonpartisan participants put more weight on the need to protect voters’ privacy and make sure voters feel safe.