Biden-Harris Department of Justice Threatens Legal Action Against Two Wisconsin Towns
The Department of Justice under the Biden-Harris administration has issued a warning to two small towns in Wisconsin. The towns are facing potential legal action due to their refusal to use electronic voting machines for casting and counting votes, according to a report from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
Threat of Lawsuit
In July, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke issued a threat to sue the State of Wisconsin, the state Elections Commission and Administrator Meagan Wolfe, and the towns of Thornapple and Lawrence. The threat also extends to the towns’ clerks and boards of supervisors. The reason behind this threat is the alleged failure of these towns to provide voting equipment at their polling places during the April presidential primary election.
Clarke, in a letter, warned that by not providing voting equipment for people with disabilities, these towns were violating the Help America Vote Act of 2002. The federal requirements state that each voting system must be accessible for individuals with disabilities, providing the same opportunity for access and participation as for other voters.
Electronic Voting System Requirement
The letter further stated that voting systems used for federal elections must have at least one direct recording electronic voting system or other voting system equipped for individuals with disabilities at each polling place. Federal investigators, according to the letter, found that the towns had failed to make such a system available at each polling place during the April 2, 2024, federal primary election.
To avoid litigation, Clarke suggested that town officials negotiate a “consent decree” with the federal government. Despite this warning, Thornapple, a town with a population of 8,297, reportedly conducted the August primary election using only hand-counted, paper ballots.
Dispute Over Accessibility
Suzanne Pinnow, Thornapple’s Treasurer, has disputed the claim that voters with disabilities were unable to use an accessible voting machine during the April election. She also stated that no one in the town had been unable to vote due to the lack of accessible voting machines.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission issued a guidance in June stating that accessible voting equipment must be provided for all elections administered by a municipality, in addition to federal elections.
Complaint Filed
A complaint filed with the commission alleged that Thornapple is breaking the law by refusing to make voting machines available to voters with disabilities during the April and August primaries. Disability Rights Wisconsin (DRW), the complainant, argued that Thornapple's exclusive use of paper ballots completed and tabulated by hand is no longer accessible for individuals with disabilities.
DRW asked the Wisconsin Elections Commission to order Thornapple to make accessible voting machines available. Kit Kerschensteiner, DRW Director of Legal and Advocacy Services, stated that the goal is to ensure all town residents are able to cast private ballots in the November presidential election.
Concerns Over Election Security
Thornapple Town Board Supervisor Tom Zelm revealed that the decision to remove voting machines was made in June 2023. Erin Webster, a town voter and Rusk County Democratic Party chair, believes the decision was tied to former President and current GOP nominee Donald Trump’s claims about the rigged 2020 presidential election.
There are indeed court cases examining these claims. For instance, in the Colorado Vs. Tina Peters case, independent cybersecurity experts concluded that Dominion voting systems are not auditable, can connect to the internet during elections, are capable of manipulating ballots and vote tabulations, and overwrite Windows Operating System log files that are recorded during elections.
Bottom Line
This situation raises important questions about the balance between ensuring accessibility for all voters and maintaining the integrity of election systems. What are your thoughts on this matter? Do you think the towns should be required to use electronic voting machines, or should they be allowed to continue using hand-counted paper ballots? Share this article with your friends and discuss. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, available every day at 6pm.
