Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) won a lawsuit against the City Clerk of Racine and Wisconsin Elections Commission, securing election integrity in the process. The Racine County Circuit Court declared the City’s use of a mobile voting van at particular sites illegal under state law. Specifically, the Court found that the mobile voting sites gave a partisan advantage to one political party over others and that state law did not allow the use of a van as an absentee voting site.

WILL Deputy Counsel, Lucas Vebber, stated “Wisconsin voters should know that their elections are secure, and that election administration does not favor one political party over another. This decision does just that. WILL’s policy and legal expertise allow us to hold government actors accountable to the rule of law at all levels.”

In another recent election integrity case, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Ryan Nilsestuen ruled in favor of the progressive League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, permitting local election officials to correct absentee ballots that contain missing or inaccurate details.

The decision contradicts a 2022 judgment from the conservative Waukesha County Circuit Court, which determined that the Wisconsin Elections Commission's (WEC) advice permitting the "curing" of absentee ballot envelopes violated state election statutes. During that case, Judge Michael J. Aprahamian barred the WEC from offering any counsel or guidelines suggesting that municipal clerks or local election officials have the authority or responsibility to correct information on absentee ballot certifications. Judge Ryan Nilsestuen's recent decision to contradict the Waukesha County Circuit Court's ruling is an unfortunate blow against election integrity in our state.

These contrasting court decisions underscore the ongoing struggle to ensure electoral fairness and integrity, reminding us of the critical need for vigilant oversight and accountability across all levels of our election processes. This is a big election year. The more Wisconsin voters know their elections are secure and that one political party isn’t being favored over another by election officials, the better.