Milwaukee’s Democratic leaders put their frustrations over the end of ballot drop boxes in a resolution and may send it off to state lawmakers.
Milwaukee County Supervisors Felesia Martin, Willie Johnson Jr., Ryan Clancy, Steven Shea, and Peter Burgelis all signed on to a resolution condemning the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision that state law doesn’t allow for ballot drop boxes.
“Plainly stated: This ruling will severely restrict the ability of thousands of Wisconsin voters to participate in elections and fulfill their civic duty,” the supervisors said in a joining statement. “This ruling strikes at the heart of Milwaukee County’s mission to achieve race and health equity. We know that decisions that restrict access to the ballot box have a disproportionate impact on Black and Brown voters. As Milwaukee County is home to the state’s largest communities of Black and Brown residents, once again our residents will bear the brunt of an errant ruling.”
The supervisor’s resolution lays out seven points and four resolutions, all of which detail their support for ballot drop boxes, and their demand that Wisconsin lawmakers not move forward with any other election law changes.
“Milwaukee County hereby declares full confidence in Wisconsin’s current system of nonpartisan election administration led by the Wisconsin Elections Commission and calls upon certain State lawmakers to cease all attempts to undermine, disrupt, or revoke the Wisconsin Election Commission’s and municipal clerks’ authority over Wisconsin and local elections in a cynical and undemocratic usurpation of the voters’ will,” the resolution states.
The county supervisors are also taking a stance against any future plans to shift election supervision in Wisconsin away from the Wisconsin Elections Commission and shift that power to the Secretary of State.
“Milwaukee County strongly opposes any future attempts to override the will of Wisconsin’s voters and have partisan election administration in Wisconsin state and local elections transferred to a partisan entity,” the resolution adds.
The resolution is just that, a resolution. It doesn’t carry any real weight and won’t mean any changes for how elections are run in Milwaukee County.
The resolution is set for its first vote this Friday. Once it passes the full county board it will be sent to the state legislature and the governor.
