Wisconsin Legislative Leader Opposes Bill State Legislature Ultimate Power to Oversee Elections

Friday, December 8th, 2023 -- 11:01 AM

(AP) A Wisconsin legislative leader said Wednesday that he opposes a bill from fellow Republicans that seeks to give the GOP-controlled Legislature the ultimate power to oversee elections, taking it away from an independent bipartisan commission.

Republican state Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu told The Associated Press in an interview that he “wouldn’t imagine” that the bill introduced this week will come up for a vote.

The proposal would put the secretary of state in charge of elections, rather than the Wisconsin Elections Commission, but the Legislature would have the final say over any decisions.

LeMahieu, despite being a critic of how the elections commission works, said he didn’t want to turn over its responsibilities to the secretary of state. “I think that would just make that position way too partisan, frankly, which would be unfortunate,” he said.

Introduction of the bill comes amid ongoing attempts from some Republicans to oust the head of the commission before the 2024 presidential election. Wisconsin is one of a handful of battleground states.

Four of the past six presidential elections in the state have been decided by fewer than 23,000 votes. Even without LeMahieu’s opposition, the proposal giving the Legislature ultimate control over elections would not become law.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has previously opposed transferring election administration to the secretary of state. And on Tuesday, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers told WISN-TV that he would veto the measure should it happen to pass.

The secretary of state in Wisconsin has not had control over elections since 1974. That power has been entrusted with a variety of independent agencies over the past 50 years, most recently the Wisconsin Elections Commission, which the Republican-controlled Legislature created in 2015.

The commission consists of three commissioners appointed by Democrats and three appointed by Republicans. Because of that even split, it frequently deadlocks on the most contentious and partisan issues that come before it.

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