The Wisconsin Democratic Party has requested that the state elections commission reverse its recent guidance and permit voters who have already submitted absentee ballots to cast new ones in the gubernatorial primary. More than 80,000 ballots have been returned as of the request filed on Tuesday.
The request stems from significant changes in the Democratic primary race. Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez ended her campaign on Friday, and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley rejoined the race the following day with an endorsement from Governor Tony Evers. Both Rodriguez and Hughes, another candidate who dropped out in June, remain listed on ballots despite ending their campaigns. Five Democratic candidates are now actively seeking the party’s nomination for governor.
The Democratic Party argues that the elections commission’s guidance, approved earlier this month, reversed a rule that had been in place four years prior and contradicts a 2006 U.S. Supreme Court decision stating that voting procedures should not be altered close to an election. Party Chairman Devin Remiker stated that without the reversal, “some voters will not be able to truly participate in our Democratic primary process.” The party said it consulted all five active candidates before making the request.
Republican Party Chairman Brian Schimming criticized the Democratic effort, arguing that “election laws should not be changed to rescue one party from the consequences of its own actions.” The request is expected to prompt legal challenges with the primary scheduled for August 11, just three weeks away. Early in-person voting begins on July 28.
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