Black and Hispanic Voters in Wisconsin's Largest City Criticizes Election Commissioner that Bragged About Suppressing Votes

Monday, January 16th, 2023 -- 8:01 AM

(AP) Black and Hispanic voters in Wisconsin’s largest city say a Republican election commissioner publicly applauding GOP strategies he credits with depressing minority turnout are a public admission of a conservative strategy in place for years.

“He’s proudly telling Hispanic and Latino voters, ‘I’m your enemy, and I’m actively using my position of power to undermine your voting rights,’” said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera, an advocacy group for immigrants.

Robert Spindell, the election commissioner who also served as a fake Republican elector for former President Donald Trump, did not back down. He rejected calls from liberals and a fellow Democratic commissioner to resign, and said he does not support suppressing turnout.

Spindell said he was merely touting efforts by the GOP to counter liberal messaging in the Democratic stronghold of Milwaukee. High turnout there is key to Democrats winning statewide.

Spindell, a former Milwaukee election official, said in an email newsletter that Republicans “can be especially proud” of lowered turnout in Milwaukee during the 2022 election, “with the major reduction happening in the overwhelming Black and Hispanic areas.”

Spindell, who is white, cited midterm results by precinct that showed lower overall turnout in predominantly Black and Hispanic Milwaukee neighborhoods compared with the last midterm election in 2018.

It’s not clear what effect Republican efforts in Milwaukee had on the behaviors of Black and Hispanic voters, even as Spindell’s email detailed a number of those strategies targeting those communities. Among them: “Negative Black Radio Commercials.”

Two of the ads paid for by the Republican Party of Wisconsin, and obtained by The Associated Press, hit Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who ran for U.S. Senate.

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