In a rather tersely worded directive, the Chairmen of the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections and the Senate Committee on Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection sent the agency director of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) an immediate request for information that documents how many non-US citizens in Wisconsin have a driver’s license and/or a photo ID.
These Committees held a Joint Public Hearing with the DOT regarding this matter in May 2024 (see Elections expert testify about noncitizen voting in Wisconsin – WPR). The DOT has not yet complied with the request of the Committees to provide the requested data in time for the November 2024 Presidential Election. WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe was invited to attend the May 2024 meeting but was a no-show.
Since the May meeting, the DOT has refused to release any information due to “privacy” concerns for non-US citizens with a Wisconsin driver’s license.
The latest request from the Committees to the DOT, dated September 3, 2024 (see DOT Letter Non-US Citizens Driver’s License), asks for an immediate release by the DOT of data on the non-US citizens who have a Wisconsin driver’s license and or a photo ID. The data are needed to assist our 1,852 Wisconsin Clerks in the administration of elections with integrity to make sure only US citizens receive a ballot for the Wisconsin Presidential Election in November.
The DOT was reminded by Sen. Dan Knodl and Rep. Scott Krug that as a state agency, DOT is absolutely required to release this information upon request to the proper authorities per Wisconsin State Statute 13.45 (7) (see Wisconsin Legislature: 13.45).
The DOT was further reminded that the request is in compliance with the Driver Privacy and Protections Act (DPPA) because the Legislative Committees are not a “person,” but rather a “State or agency thereof” per various portions of 18 U.S.C. 2725 (2) (click here – 18 USC 2725: Definitions (house.gov)) and that disclosure of this information is allowed per 18 USC 2721 (a) and (b) (1) and (4) (click here – 18 USC 2721 – Prohibition on release and use of certain personal information from State motor vehicle records (govregs.com)).
Finally, the DOT was reminded that the Governor’s Office wants this information shared between the DOT and the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) to assist all Clerks in the administration of elections with integrity to make sure only US Citizens are participating in Wisconsin Elections.
