Announcing the Death of Zuckerbucks
Yesterday was voting day, and as an update, both referendums on the ballot passed and will now be officially added to the State Constitution. These questions were designed to prohibit the private funding of elections and to limit election conduct to election officials. I truly see this as a victory for election integrity, and I am pleased to see the people of Wisconsin agree!
Election Legislation Signed into Law!
This session, it was a priority of mine to focus on election reform. I was tired of seeing good, quality legislation vetoed, so I was determined to work with members across the aisle to see what we could accomplish together. The following are bipartisan bills that have been signed into law that were created to ensure safe, efficient elections.
Wisconsin Act 124 is a bill I worked on with Rep. Ortiz-Velez (D) that seeks to protect people’s right to vote by creating a more accountable system when a municipality seeks to close a polling location.
Wisconsin Act 125, a bill I worked on with Rep. Ortiz-Velez, was created in response to a situation where a 2023 school board candidate was removed from the ballot because 400 valid signatures were not found within the first 800 provided, and the additional supplemental signatures that remained were not counted. Although this individual would have had over 400 valid signatures had the additional signatures been counted, those were considered invalid and therefore unusable. Those involved in this debacle cited that state law and administrative code are gray on the issue. To clear things up, we introduced this bill to provide the clarification needed for local clerks on how to count all valid signatures required for ballot placement.
Wisconsin Act 53, a bill I authored, states that if a municipality broadcasts canvassing proceedings live in any election, including by live stream on the Internet, the municipality must record the broadcast, and the municipal clerk must retain the recording for 22 months. This allows the public to have another mechanism to verify that a part of our election process was conducted fairly.
Wisconsin Act 52 , a bill I authored, serves two primary goals: to maintain accountability and avoid any future misuse of campaign funds by public office candidates, and to redistribute donations back to individuals. Once someone is adjudicated guilty of certain campaign finance laws, this bill would require the court to order the person’s campaign account be dissolved and to appoint a new treasurer who will only be allowed to return the campaign funds to donors or donate the funds to the common school fund in accordance with the dissolution order.
Wisconsin Act 126 requires all local candidates to submit their campaign finance reports with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission (ETHC) through the Commission’s Campaign Finance Information System (CFIS) rather than through their local clerks.
This legislation started off as two separate bills that got merged into one. My contribution to this was an amendment that made the final cut. Assembly Amendment 1 to SB 822 was language added to a separate bill we co-authored (AB 300) that was added into SB 822 once the two became one. I am glad to see it signed into law regardless!
Wisconsin Act 54Â requires that a municipal clerk must send or transmit an absentee ballot for the presidential preference primary to electors other than military and overseas electors no later than the 21st day before the presidential preference primary.
Wisconsin Act 123Â helps defend against deliberately disseminated misinformation designed to influence elections through the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
Wisconsin Act 120Â implements a number of recommendations from the Ethics Commission (the commission) regarding the operations of the commission and the laws that it administers.
In-District Events
Sunday, April 7th, will be a Cornhole Tournament at the JE Hamilton Community House in Two Rivers from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sign up here: Snow Fest April 7th, 2024 Cornhole Tournament (google.com)
Friday, April 12th, through Sunday April 14th, will be the Grand Opening for Vagabond/JAG (118 High Court) in Wrightstown! It is always a pleasure to see small businesses thriving in our local communities, so make sure you check them out if you have some free time.
Saturday, April 13th, will be the Tisch Mills Booyah and Burgers event at the Tisch Mills Fire Department from 12 p.m. until gone! This event is drive-thru only.
Saturday, April 13th, will be the Mishicot Brat Fry at the Mishicot Sportsman’s Club (13804 Jambo Creek Rd) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, April 13th, there will be a charity event to support VCR and CERT programs at Tanner’s Grill and Bar (730 S Railroad St., Kaukauna) from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be a bean bag tournament, a meat raffle, a wine pull, a silent and live auction, a 50/50 raffle, and a gun raffle.
Friday, April 19th, will be the Kettle Range Snow Riders Fish Fry at the Mishicot VFW Park (317 W Main St., Mishicot) from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, April 20th, will be the Reedsville Firefighters fundraiser at 100 Industrial Dr., Reedsville, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be a brat and burger fry, a sportsman raffle, and a cornhole tournament.
