Election oversight remains a controversial topic in Wisconsin. Ahead of the 2024 presidential vote, civic engagement leaders hope state lawmakers resist policy changes they feel could compromise the will of the voters.
A Republican-led proposal would do away with the Wisconsin Elections Commission and push oversight to the Secretary of State.
But legislative committees, also led by Republicans, would have to sign off on most decisions from that office. Bill sponsors say the elections commission is failing to perform its duties.
But Debra Cronmiller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, said she sees efforts like these as an attempt to undermine the voting process.
"I think that this is functioning government," said Cronmiller, "that, you know, certain legislators are just wanting to take that power and make it not function."
The commission has faced criticism from conservatives and conspiracy theorists over the 2020 presidential election results.
That's despite recounts, audits and legal opinions that upheld President Joe Biden's victory in Wisconsin.
Cronmiller noted that the commission operates as a nonpartisan panel, and even some state Republicans have said they don't back the bill to abolish it.
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers also has vowed to veto the measure.
Despite the obstacles in front of that specific plan, Cronmiller said she feels there's still too much of an appetite to make what she thinks are unnecessary changes.
"Just in recent weeks, other bills that have been introduced sort of, I think, show the hand of this legislative body," said Cronmiller, "is that they're not really looking for more integrity in our elections."
Gov. Evers recently vetoed a handful of election-related bills - and before this session, he rejected other measures he said would make voting harder.
However, he did express support for a new plan that would allow election administrators to process absentee ballots the day before an election.
Sponsors say that could reduce delays in vote-counting.
Support for this reporting was provided by Carnegie Corporation of New York.
