The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on June 4 said that Wisconsin officials have failed to comply with an election-related requirement in federal law and should thus not receive any additional federal funding.
The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) requires states to establish procedures that let voters lodge complaints alleging violations of the statute. States must establish those procedures to receive federal funding, according to the law.
“Quite surprisingly, we have learned that the Wisconsin Elections Commission has refused to provide any administrative complaint process or hearing regarding [HAVA] complaints against the Commission,” DOJ officials told the commission in a missive on Wednesday. Instead, citing a 2022 court case, the commission has said it cannot police itself.
“These very actions by the Commission have left complainants alleging HAVA violations by the Commission without any recourse,” the DOJ officials said.
The letter said that the actions justify the U.S. Election Assistance Commission barring the Wisconsin Elections Commission from receiving any future federal funding.
“Courts across the land, including our highest court, have repeatedly defended measures to ensure election integrity,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division said in a statement. “We have made it our highest priority to identify jurisdictions that fail to follow our elections laws and vigorously enforce the law by all means available.”
The U.S. Election Assistance Commission was founded by Congress in 2003. The independent body distributes grant funds authorized by lawmakers under HAVA. It says on its website that it has distributed more than $4 billion in funds since its founding.
Wisconsin has received $77 million in federal funding for elections, including $7 million in 2020 for election security, according to the federal commission.
The DOJ in May sued North Carolina election officials, alleging they had violated HAVA by failing to comply with the law’s requirements regarding voter details.
“Accurate voter registration rolls are critical to ensure that elections in North Carolina are conducted fairly, accurately, and without fraud,” Dhillon said at the time. “The Department of Justice will not hesitate to file suit against jurisdictions that maintain inaccurate voter registration rolls in violation of federal voting laws.”
Share your thoughts by scrolling down to leave a comment.
