Focus on Wisconsin voting law changes shifts to Assembly - Minneapolis Star Tribune

MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Assembly was scheduled to begin voting Wednesday on more than a dozen voting and election law changes that Republicans proposed in reaction to President Joe Biden's 2020 win.

The Republican-controlled Legislature was expected to pass all of the fast-tracked election bills before the approaching end of its two-year session even though Democratic Gov. Tony Evers would almost surely veto them. GOP lawmakers are trying to get around him by proposing some constitutional amendments that would need the approval of voters instead of the governor.

The proposals foreshadow what the Republican agenda could look like next year if Evers is defeated in November or if Republicans gain enough seats in the Legislature to be able to override his veto. All of the moves come amid a backlash from Donald Trump and his supporters over his loss in Wisconsin, an outcome that's been affirmed by recounts, lawsuits and multiple reviews.

Democrats said the Republican bills would make it more difficult for voters to cast ballots and for local officials to administer elections.

"We should put down these partisan election lies and voter suppression tactics and take up broad bipartisan bills," Democratic Rep. Evan Goyke, of Milwaukee, said prior to the start of Wednesday's session.

One amendment up for approval Wednesday in the Assembly would say that only citizens can vote in elections. The Senate approved it last month. The full Legislature would have to pass it again next session and then it would go to voters in either 2023 or 2024.

The Wisconsin Constitution guarantees that every U.S. citizen age 18 and over is a qualified elector. But it does not specifically say that only U.S. citizens are qualified to vote in state or local elections.

Republican backers of the measure say this ambiguity needs to be fixed through a constitutional amendment.

Federal law already requires U.S. citizenship to vote in national elections. No state constitutions explicitly allow noncitizens to vote in state or local elections.

However, there has been a recent push for states to pass constitutional amendments to specifically make clear that voters in state and local elections must be citizens.

Some U.S. cities have considered measures that would allow noncitizens such as legal permanent residents, also known as green card holders, student visa holders or even people living in the U.S. illegally to vote in school boards or town council elections.

The Wisconsin Senate on Tuesday passed more than a dozen election-related bills and a constitutional amendment that would bar the use of grants or donations from private groups to help run elections. The Assembly was expected to approve that amendment and all of the other elections bills on Thursday, which is expected to be the chamber's final day in session this year.

source: https://www.startribune.com/focus-on-wisconsin-voting-law-changes-shifts-to-assembly/600149695/

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