A lawsuit has been filed by Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections (RITE) against the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC). The commission was sued for illegally allowing voters to change their votes after casting their ballots.
In a memorandum sent on the 1st of August, the Electoral committee gave some unlawful instructions to the state clerks. The new guidance allowed voters who submitted absentee ballots to change their votes. According to the direction, the voter could request his vote to be spoilt and receive a new one if he changes his mind.
All of these instructions by the Wisconsin Electoral commission were found to be in violation of the state’s law. The state’s law gives voters the authority to spoil an absentee ballot before it is submitted. No further changes are allowed to be made after a vote is cast. In situations where a voter decides to spoil his absentee ballot for personal reasons, the ballot must be returned to the state clerk, who should destroy it. After that, a new one can be requested.
In addition, another memo sent the following day instructed the municipal clerks to invalidate a spoilt ballot on behalf of the voter. This guidance also is against the law as it increases the potential for committing election fraud in the absentee voting process.
Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections (RITE) filed a lawsuit against the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) last week over its unlawful guidance allowing absentee voters to change their votes after their ballots are cast. Any wonder we don’t trust election results?
— Greg Stout (@GregSto00569413) October 1, 2022
Derek Lyons, the CEO and President of RITE said in a press release, “RITE is working to protect Wisconsinites from unfair and unequal election procedures. Once a vote is cast, it is cast. Period. WEC is breaking the law and courting disaster by allowing individuals to retrieve their cast ballots and alter their votes. The discretion WEC gives to local officials undermines the integrity of the ballot box and disrupts the uniform and transparent administration of elections throughout the Badger State.”
The integrity group is suing the electoral commission on behalf of a voter, Nancy Kormanik, who decided to fight for her right to fair and equal treatment. The organization has also asked the Wausheka County Circuit Court for immediate relief before the absentee voting process begins on the 8th of November. During the 2020 elections, it was reported that Wisconsin processed about 2 million absentee ballots.
RITE initiates Wisconsin lawsuit to block unlawful guidance that allows absentee voters to change their votes after they are cast. For more info: https://t.co/yXHIC59hOE pic.twitter.com/ejNq2VLLrH
— Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections (RITE) (@Restoring_USA) September 26, 2022
In 2019, another lawsuit was filed against the state’s electoral commission by Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL). The lawsuit alleged that the electoral body broke the law by allowing a two-year grace period before deactivating voters who may have relocated. According to state law, voters must confirm addresses within a 30-day period before they are listed as ineligible.
The president and general counsel of WILL, Rick Esenberg, said, “Instead of reversing course, the Wisconsin Election Commission has stubbornly doubled down. This lawsuit is about accountability, the rule of law, and clean and fair elections.“
