Wisconsin approved two Republican-backed election integrity ballot initiatives that would change how the battleground state runs elections ahead of November, according to The Associated Press.
The swing-state voters considered one measure to ban the private funding of elections, as well as another that would crack down on which individuals can perform election-related tasks. The first and second question received 52% and 55.5% support, respectively, the AP projected at the time of writing. (RELATED: ‘Zuck Bucks 2.0’: Liberal Group Uses Legal ‘Magic Trick’ To Fund Election Offices, Even In Red States, Watchdogs Say)
Question 1 would target “Zuckerbucks,” which is a reference to the massive amount of funds Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg poured into election offices across the country in 2020 through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. The Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL), a left-wing nonprofit, received roughly $350 million from the initiative to help with the administration of elections during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CTCL granted Wisconsin $10 million for its election efforts last cycle, according to NBC News, when President Joe Biden defeated former President Donald Trump by less than one point. Trump had won the battleground state against Hillary Clinton in 2016 by a similar margin.
Conservatives argue that “Zuckerbucks” were used to unfairly boost Democratic turnout in 2020, as the funds largely went to left-leaning urban areas. Since the 2020 cycle, 27 states have have outlawed or curbed such private funding in elections, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Question 2 would prohibit individuals from carrying out election-related duties unless they are an “election official designated by law.”
Today is the day we protect Wisconsin elections from Zuckerbucks and out-of-state dark money.
Vote YES on Questions 1 & 2! pic.twitter.com/vDw0aCRgZf
— Wisconsin GOP (@WisGOP) April 2, 2024
The state GOP, along with Wisconsin Republican lawmakers like Sen. Ron Johnson and Rep. Bryan Steil, encouraged voters to support both ballot initiatives on Tuesday. Conversely, the Wisconsin Democratic Party opposes the measures, according to NBC News.
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers had previously vetoed Republican-backed legislation that sought the same provisions, prompting the GOP lawmakers to put the measures before Wisconsin voters instead, according to NBC News.
Wisconsin will hold two consequential elections in November — another matchup between Trump and Biden, as well as a Senate race that could determine the control of the upper chamber.
An Emerson College poll released March 21 found Trump leading the president by four points in the battleground state, while Republican Eric Hovde is down by three points against Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin.
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