Wisconsin’s Progressive-Dominated Supreme Court May Reinstate Controversial Ballot Drop Boxes

Wisconsin’s political landscape saw a significant shift last year⁢ when a razor-thin margin tilted​ the scales of the state’s Supreme Court. Now, the court, with ​its new Democratic-leaning ⁤judges, is poised to reconsider the‌ legality of absentee ballot⁤ drop ‌boxes.

The high court ⁤is gearing up to ​ deliberate a pivotal case that has ‌the potential to undo a ⁣previous ruling, which strictly‌ mandated that absentee ballots be handed over in-person. This litigation,⁣ propelled by the left-leaning ​Elias⁤ Law Group, challenges the stance⁤ that voters ‌are restricted to returning their ‌ballots directly to clerk’s⁢ offices or other official sites approved by election authorities.

At the⁤ heart of this legal battle is Priorities USA, a⁢ formidable PAC ⁢with ⁣ties to George Soros, joined ⁢by​ the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans and ​an individual voter. Notably, Priorities USA is a major player committed to steering at least $75 ⁤million to bolster President Biden’s re-election campaign.

With oral arguments ​on the horizon for ⁤May ⁢13, the case has attracted notable attention.

The Dissenting Voices

Chief Justice Annette Ziegler and Justice Rebecca Bradley ⁢represent the dissenting opinions within the court,‍ voicing concerns that ​the ‍court’s‌ left-leaning members are aiming to tip the electoral scales. ​Bradley’s stern dissent warns of ⁤political⁢ motives and the potential upheaval of election protocols ahead of critical polls, foreseeing “chaos and confusion” for Wisconsin’s electorate and administration.

“Finding the⁤ decision politically ⁢inconvenient, ​and emboldened by a ​new makeup of the court, this new majority embraces ⁤the opportunity to overturn (the 2022 ruling). The majority’s decision ‍to ‍do so will upset the status quo of election administration mere ​months before⁢ a presidential election and‌ lead to chaos⁢ and confusion for Wisconsin voters and election ⁤officials,” Bradley⁣ wrote.

The 2022​ Precedent

Last year’s decision was unequivocal: it stripped the Wisconsin Elections Commission of⁣ the power to ​unilaterally⁤ authorize ⁢ballot drop boxes. The ruling reaffirmed the legislature’s authority, ​emphasizing that any ballot ​must be mailed or personally⁤ delivered by‍ the voter according to state law. As such, drop boxes ⁣were deemed‍ incompatible with ‌Wisconsin statutes.

Spotlight on Election Integrity

This‍ courtroom saga can ⁤be traced back to the ‌contentious 2020 presidential race. Several cities faced ⁢allegations of employing unauthorized drop boxes. ⁣The original lawsuit sprung from a partnership between these​ locales and the nonprofit ‍Center for Tech and ​Civic Life, which was said⁣ to have orchestrated ⁢voting drives ⁤with little regard ⁤for Covid-19 safety under the‌ guise‍ of ‌the ‘Wisconsin Safe Voting Plan’.

Interestingly, this plan involved hefty private grants largely targeted at select‍ voter demographics. Moreover, analysis by ‍The Federalist’s Shawn Fleetwood revealed Mark Zuckerberg⁢ as a financial backer of ⁤the CTCL, which distributed funds‌ predominantly to localities that leaned in favor of the opposition party. ‌This distribution ⁢of ‘Zuck Bucks’, as some have referred to the grants, has cast a long shadow‌ over the‍ controversy.

During the⁢ pandemic, absentee voting soared, with drop​ boxes becoming a fixture‍ for numerous ‌Wisconsinites. However, the outcome of this legal dispute could redefine voting habits, as Trump’s narrow defeat in Milwaukee — a region dotted with these drop ⁤boxes — showcased the significant ⁤impact of absentee ballots.

Brianna Lyman is an ‌elections correspondent at The Federalist.