Elections Commission advances rule on election observers
by Henry Redman, Wisconsin Examiner
March 20, 2024
On Wednesday, a proposed rule on the conduct of election observers in polling places moved one step closer to taking effect.
The six-member Wisconsin Elections Commission voted to finalize the rule’s economic impact analysis, set a public hearing on the rule and forward it to the Department of Administration, Gov. Tony Evers and the Legislature.
Under the rule, election observers would only be allowed in certain designated areas between three and eight feet from certain aspects of the voting process — where voters’ addresses are announced when arriving to the poll, where new voters are being registered and where ballots with defects that can’t be read by voting machines are being re-made by poll workers.
The rule would also guide the process by which election workers and law enforcement officers can remove an observer from a polling place for unruly or disruptive behavior. It also includes provisions to require that observers be allowed to use available chairs and restrooms and for how the news media is allowed to operate inside polling places — because members of the media are allowed to take videos and photos inside polling places while observers are not, the rules are different.
During a previous comment period on the rule, the commission only received input from Racine City Clerk Tara McMenamin, who opposed the rule on the grounds that schools used as polling places don’t have public restrooms and that the cost of the rule could be too high for municipalities. The commission included a note in the draft that it considered McMenamin’s concerns but that its opinion on the analysis hadn’t changed.
GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Wisconsin Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Wisconsin Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Ruth Conniff for questions: [email protected]. Follow Wisconsin Examiner on Facebook and Twitter.
Memberships
Support our news coverage with a membership!
As we approach the November 5th election we will bring you more election news, including some information on voting, candidates, and more.
On election night we will bring you complete Associated Press election results and stories on what is happening in Wisconsin and across the nation. We have just received access to a large library of video, which we will try to incorporate into our coverage. Watch this space.
Election Day is almost here, and we’re proud to let you know that you don’t need to look any further than Eye On Dunn County for both national and local election results. Thanks to our partnership with the Associated Press (AP), we’re providing you with fast, accurate, and comprehensive election coverage as it unfolds.
You can count on us to deliver real-time updates, breaking down not only the national results but also what’s happening right here in Western Wisconsin. Why turn to national outlets when we’re covering it all for you, locally?
Here’s what you can expect from us on Election Day [modify with your coverage]:
- Up-to-the-minute election results
- Analysis of key races that impact Dunn County
- Coverage of local ballot initiatives and races
At Eye On Dunn County, we’re here to keep you informed. Support local journalism that delivers the facts, where and when you need them most.
Thank you for trusting us as your election source.
Steve Hanson - Eye On Dunn County
Become a member here to support Eye On Dunn County’s local reporting.
Add new comment