Wisconsin just got redder after voters gave the thumbs up to banning the private funding of elections by those such as Mark Zuckerberg who dumped hundreds of millions into the 2020 presidential election.
Two constitutional amendments passed Tuesday along with President Biden and former President Trump winning their respective parties’ nomination in Wisconsin.
The first question on the ballot bans “Zuckerbucks,” a reference to the millions of dollars that the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative dumped into election offices across the nation in 2020. The Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL) was gifted approximately $350 million in “dark money” by the initiative in 2020.
In turn, the CTCL gave Wisconsin $10 million toward its election efforts, according to NBC News. The state’s five biggest cities received $8.8 million. Biden won all of them and would go on to beat Trump by a razor-thin margin.
(Video Credit: WISN 12 News)
Since the last election cycle, 27 states have banned or limited private funding in elections, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The second question on the ballot prohibits individuals from engaging in election-related duties unless they are an “election official designated by law.” The amendment is already state law but putting it in the constitution makes it much more difficult to change or repeal, according to Wisconsin Watch.
Both questions passed by fairly wide margins. The first question passed with roughly 54% of the vote and the second question received about 59%.
The Wisconsin Republican Party was thrilled with the voting outcome concerning the amendments.
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
“Wisconsin has spoken and the message is clear: elections belong to voters, not out-of-state billionaires,” GOP State Chairman Brian Schimming proclaimed in a statement.
By voting for the passage of the amendments, “voters sent a clear message that they want to keep private money out of election administration,” Rick Esenberg, president of the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, said in a statement.
“Whether you identify with the left or the right, ensuring the fairness and integrity of our elections should be a shared priority,” he added.
In 2020, Zuckerberg funneled $400m to fund election officials in swing states.
Tonight, Wisconsin voted to ban it from ever happening again in their state. pic.twitter.com/XkhXVdr0PA
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) April 3, 2024
Unsurprisingly, Democrats opposed both amendments. They claim that they will make it more difficult to carry out elections in Wisconsin.
“The Wisconsin measures were supported by Republicans and conservative groups, including the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty and Election Integrity for Wisconsin. They are opposed by an array of government watchdog and liberal groups including the American Civil Liberties Union, Common Cause Wisconsin, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, and the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin,” Wisconsin Watch reported.
“Not a single Democratic lawmaker voted for the amendment, which was split into two questions on the ballot. Opponents of the amendments worry they could lead to attempts to stifle current practices enhancing voter participation,” the media outlet continued.
“They also raised concerns about how the broadly written election workers provision would be interpreted and implemented by local election officials,” Wisconsin Watch noted.
President Trump encourages Wisconsin supporters to vote YES on Ballot Questions 1 and 2 to “ban Zucker-bucks” during rally in Green Bay pic.twitter.com/yUNkRmInNI
— RSBN (@RSBNetwork) April 2, 2024
Biden faced opposition in Wisconsin as he has in other states by those in his base who are unhappy with his Gaza policies. A coordinated challenge called for voters to choose “Uninstructed Delegation” on the ballot to protest Biden’s Israel stance. Results showed that 8.4% chose that option, a smaller number than in Minnesota or Michigan, which got 19% and 13% respectively.
Meanwhile, Trump held a rally in Green Bay on Tuesday evening. He hammered rogue nations for “pumping migrants across our wide-open border,” and “sending prisoners, murderers, drug dealers, mental patients, terrorists.” The former president also contended that illegal immigrants would cost the U.S. trillions of dollars in public benefits and cause Social Security and Medicare to “buckle and collapse.”
“If you want to help Joe Biden wheel granny off the cliff to fund government benefits for illegals, then vote for Crooked Joe Biden,” he declared. “But when I am president, instead of throwing granny overboard, I will send Joe Biden’s illegal aliens back home.”
(Video Credit: The Times and The Sunday Time)
An Emerson College poll that was released on March 21 found Trump leading Biden by four points in Wisconsin.
- Freedom of speech is on this ballot. UK-like rules, imprisonments for violations seem imminent with Kamala - November 4, 2024
- ‘I’m done!’ Hugh Hewitt rips off headset, storms off ‘unfair’ WaPo Live stream - November 1, 2024
- With 1 week to go, Jared Kushner talks chances of Ivanka pitching in to help Trump get elected - October 30, 2024
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.