Wisconsin complaint reveals leftist-led vote drives at colleges
Conservatives are pushing back against left-wing get-out-the-vote campaigns on college campuses across the country. But will their efforts be enough to make a difference?
In Wisconsin, the battleground state, the Wisconsin Voter Alliance has filed a complaint accusing the University of Wisconsin-Parkside of violating the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) by organizing student get-out-the-vote and voter registration drives.
The complaint initially faced resistance from the Wisconsin Elections Commission but has now been referred to an administrative law judge. This case will test the targeted use of the state’s voter registration database and determine if Parkside’s efforts are discriminatory.
If successful, the Wisconsin Voter Alliance believes this challenge could have a significant impact on similar partisan-driven campaigns at the University of Wisconsin system and over 1,000 college campuses nationwide.
“This is what fighting back looks like,” said Erick Kaardal, the attorney representing the Wisconsin Voter Alliance.
‘Government-Sponsored GOTV’
The complaint argues that even if the university is authorized to conduct student get-out-the-vote and voter registration drives, these efforts have not complied with HAVA’s legal requirements. The complaint points out that the voter act “preempts” government-sponsored GOTV and voter registration drives, as confirmed by opinions from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
According to one guidance memo from the EAC, “Neither Section 101 nor 251 funds may be used to conduct voter registration drives or get out the vote efforts.” The university denies the allegations, claiming that it used private funds for its activities and did not receive any HAVA funding.
Nonpartisan in Name Only
The university argues that it did not directly or indirectly receive HAVA funds and instead worked with the Andrew Goodman Foundation’s Goodman Ambassadors, who engage in non-partisan voter education. However, the Andrew Goodman Foundation has a clear left-leaning agenda and promotes student voting on campuses.
‘Picking and Choosing’
The complaint alleges that the university’s targeting of students for its get-out-the-vote and voter registration drives discriminates against non-students. This selective treatment of voters is considered illegal voting discrimination. The complaint draws parallels to a previous lawsuit brought by Obama for America and the Democratic National Committee, which successfully challenged special voting privileges for military voters.
Data Diving
The complaint also raises concerns about the use of the state’s voter information system to support the campus GOTV effort. The university has allegedly exchanged student private data with Tufts University’s National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement (NSLVE) and used publicly available voting files from the Catalist National Database. This targeted campaign using voter data is seen as a violation of HAVA law.
‘This Is Huge’
The Wisconsin Voter Alliance is seeking a declaration from an administrative law judge that UW-Parkside violated HAVA and an injunction requiring the university to comply with HAVA’s legal requirements. The case has been assigned to Administrative Law Judge Eric D. Defort.
Campus GOTV Drive Built by Team Obama
This complaint could have far-reaching implications as many colleges and universities across the country are partnering with left-leaning organizations to boost voter registration and turnout among college students. Civic Nation’s ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, which is supported by former Obama administration officials, is one such initiative. The complaint highlights the surge in voter registrations on the UW-Madison campus during the 2022 election, indicating a potential bias in the campus GOTV campaign.
“It is not the role of government entities to run voter registration and GOTV activities. That is the job of political parties and candidates,” said Ron Heuer, president of the Wisconsin Voter Alliance.
As the Biden administration increases its efforts to promote get-out-the-vote campaigns, particularly in swing states like Wisconsin, we can expect more challenges and controversies surrounding these initiatives.
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What is the complaint filed by the Wisconsin Voter Alliance against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside regarding left-wing get-out-the-vote efforts on college campuses?
Conservatives Push Back Against Left-Wing Get-Out-the-Vote Efforts on College Campuses
Conservatives are making a stand against left-wing get-out-the-vote campaigns on college campuses across the United States. The Wisconsin Voter Alliance, an organization dedicated to protecting the integrity of elections, has filed a complaint against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, accusing it of violating the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) by organizing student get-out-the-vote and voter registration drives.
This complaint, initially met with resistance from the Wisconsin Elections Commission, has now been referred to an administrative law judge. The case will test the targeted use of the state’s voter registration database and determine whether Parkside’s efforts are discriminatory.
The Wisconsin Voter Alliance believes that if successful, this challenge could have a significant impact on similar partisan-driven campaigns at the University of Wisconsin system and over 1,000 college campuses nationwide. “This is what fighting back looks like,” said Erick Kaardal, the attorney representing the Wisconsin Voter Alliance.
The complaint argues that even if the university is authorized to conduct student get-out-the-vote and voter registration drives, these efforts have not complied with HAVA’s legal requirements. According to the complaint, the voter act “preempts” government-sponsored get-out-the-vote and voter registration drives, as confirmed by opinions from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.
The complaint points out that one guidance memo from the EAC states, “Neither Section 101 nor 251 funds may be used to conduct voter registration drives or get out the vote efforts.” The university denies these allegations, claiming that it used private funds for its activities and did not receive any HAVA funding.
Furthermore, the university argues that it worked with the Andrew Goodman Foundation’s Goodman Ambassadors, who engage in non-partisan voter education. However, critics argue that the Andrew Goodman Foundation has a clear left-leaning agenda and promotes student voting on campuses.
The complaint also alleges that the university’s targeting of students for its get-out-the-vote and voter registration drives discriminates against non-students. This selective treatment of voters is considered illegal voting discrimination. The complaint draws parallels to a previous lawsuit brought by Obama for America and the Democratic National Committee, which successfully challenged special voting privileges for military voters.
In addition, concerns have been raised about the use of student data in these campaigns. Critics worry that data gathered during these drives could be used for partisan purposes and potentially compromise the privacy of students.
Conservatives are determined to draw attention to these left-wing get-out-the-vote efforts on college campuses and ensure that the rule of law is upheld. They believe that these campaigns, although presented as nonpartisan, have clear political agendas and may undermine the fairness and integrity of elections.
As the administrative law judge reviews the complaint against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, conservatives across the country eagerly await the outcome. The decision in this case will not only determine the fate of similar campaigns on the University of Wisconsin system campuses but also set a precedent for colleges and universities nationwide.
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