PACKAGE OF TEN BILLS THIS WEEK
THAT WOULD MODIFY HOW THE
WISCONSIN VOTE IS TAKEN.
THE MEASURES RANGE FROM A
PROPOSAL THAT WOULD CHANGE HOW
ABSENTEE BALLOTS CAN BE GATHERED
TO A WILL THAT WOULD REEF REDEFINE
WHO VOTERS WHO ARE INDEFINITELY
CONFINED.
THESE VOTERS CAST THEIR BALLOT
BY MAIL BECAUSE OF AGE,
DISABILITY OR OTHER PHYSICAL
BARRIERS.
CURRENTLY THEY CAN HAVE A
WITNESS SIGN THEIR BALLOT AS
PROOF OF IDENTITY, NO PHOTO I.D.
REQUIRED.
UNDER THE PROPOSED LAW I.D.
EXEMPTLE SHON FOR
INDEFINITELY-CONFINED VOTERS
WOULD BE ELIMINATED.
THESE VOTES WOULD HAVE TO SWEAR
UNDER OATH THAT THEY ARE
INDEFINITELY CONFINED.
VOTERS IN THIS CATEGORY UNDER
THE AGE OF 65 WOULD HAVE A
PROVIDE A HEALTH PROVIDER'S
DOCUMENTATION OF CONFINEMENT
STATUS.
THE MEASURE WOULD ELIMINATE THE
INDEFINITELY-CONFINED STATUS OF
VOTERS WHO ENROLLED AS SUCH
BETWEEN MARCH 12 AND NOVEMBER 6
OF LAST YEAR.
REPUBLICAN SENATOR KATHY BERNIER
IS THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE
COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS AND SHE
JOINS US NOW FROM THE VILLAGE OF
LAKE HALLIE IN CHIPPEWA COUNTY
AND THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
>> IT IS MY PLEASURE.
THANK YOU.
>> SO THE INDEFINITELY CONFINED
PROPOSALS REALLY CLAMP DOWN ON
RULES IN PLACE LAST NOVEMBER.
WHY DO YOU THINK THAT'S
NECESSARY?
>> WELL, I DON'T AGREE WITH 100%
OF THE BILLS THAT CAME OUT IN
ALL THE DETAIL INVOLVED IN IT,
SO I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION
WITH SENATOR STROEBEL, DARLING
AND ALL OF OUR STAFF GOT
TOGETHER AND I SAID I HAVE SOME
CONCERNS.
I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE
DISABLED, DISABILITY COMMUNITY
AND THEIR ADVOCATES TO COME UP
WITH SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE
APPROPRIATE AND EASY TO NAVIGATE
FOR THE PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES.
AND THAT IS WHAT THAT PROVISION
REALLY WAS CREATED FOR.
IT WAS NOT CREATED FOR
ABLE-BODIED INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN
GO OUT SHOPPING OR CAMPAIGNING
OR WHATEVER TO USE INDEFINITELY
CONFINED.
AND SO WHAT PRECIPITATED IT IS
THERE WERE INDIVIDUALS WHO
ABUSED THAT PRIVILEGE THAT WAS
REALLY DESIGNED FOR THE DISABLED
AND ELDERLY.
>> WELL, LET ME ASK YOU WHAT
PROBLEMS YOU HAVE WITH IT THAT
YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE CHANGED.
>> WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE
THAT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ABLE TO
LEAVE THEIR HOME AS DESIRED
DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION, BECAUSE,
ONCE AGAIN, WHEN YOU HAVE
ABSENTEE VOTING, THAT IS THE
AREA WHICH IS EASIER TO ABUSE.
AND SO IT IS INTENDED FOR
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ACTUALLY
INCAPABLE OF GETTING OUT OF
THEIR HOMES AS DESIRED.
>> RIGHT, BUT --
>> AND THAT DIDN'T INCLUDE --
THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE ME OR
SOMEONE LIKE ME.
>> SURE.
BUT DID YOU SAY THAT YOU HAD
ISSUES WITH THE WAY THE DRAFT OF
THE PROPOSED LAW LOOKS RIGHT
NOW, WITH SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT WE JUST LAID OUT?
OR DUE LIKE IT DO YOU LIKE IT THE WAY IT
STANDS?
>> I DO NOT LIKE IT THE WAY IT
STANDS.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME
CHANGES.
>> LIKE WHAT?
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE WHERE THE
WITNESS AND AFFIDAVIT -- AN
AFFIDAVIT IS AN OATH SO
ESSENTIALLY THEY SIGNED THAT
SAYING THEY ARE UNABLE TO LEAVE
THEIR HOME AS DESIRED, AND SO
THAT IS CLEAR.
AND TO REQUIRE MEDICAL
INFORMATION IS NOT REASONABLE.
I'M NOT EVEN SURE HIPPA WOULD
ALLOW FOR THAT OR WE CAN REQUIRE
THAT.
SO WE WANT IT TO HAVE THAT
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE INDIVIDUALS
WHO NEED IT, BUT WE DON'T WANT
THE IT ABUSED
IT ABUSED BY OAMPLETS I USE OTHERS.
PARKING IN A DISABLED PARKING
SPOT IS NOT MY RIEFT.
I AM NOT DISABLED.
I WILL PAY A FINE FOR T. THE
SAME PROVIDES FOR THIS PROVISION
IN THE LAW.
>> SO SENATOR STROEBEL LISTENING
TO YOUR CONCERNS AND DO YOU
EXPECT THEN THERE TO BE
MODIFICATIONS?
>> YES.
HE RECOGNIZED THAT MANY OF THESE
PROPOSALS WILL HAVE CHANGES MADE
TO THEM.
HE RECOGNIZED THAT.
>> BECAUSE THE BILL AS IT STANDS
NOW WOULD CLARIFY IN STATE LAW
THAT A PANDEMIC CANNOT BE USED
TO APPLY FOR INDEFINITELY
CONFINED STATUS.
IN YOUR MIND IS THAT WHAT CAUSED
THE NUMBER OF SUCH VOTERS TO
INCREASE BY NEARLY 150,000 IN
THE NOVEMBER ELECTION COMPARED
TO 2016?
>> IT DIDN'T INTUITIVETY INTUITIVELY CAUSE
THAT.
IT IS TWO COUNTY CLERKS THAT
TOOK IT UPON THEMSELF TO
INTERPRET STATE LAW AS THEY SO
CHOOSE, WHICH I BELIEVE THE
SUPREME COURT -- OR I KNOW THE
SUPREME COURT DID SEND A MESSAGE
TO THE COUNTY CLERK IN DANE
COUNTY THAT HE HAS NO AUTHORITY
TO DO THAT.
AND I SHARE THAT OPINION WITH
SCOTT McDONALD, THAT COUNTY
CLERKS DO NOT INTERPRET THE LAW
OR PROVIDE GUIDANCE.
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE THE
WISCONSIN ELECTION COMMISSION.
SO THAT IS I BELIEVE WHAT CAUSED
THE PROBLEM IN THE FIRST PLACE.
>> NOW, YOU WERE A LONG-TIME
ELECTION CLERK IN CHIPPEWA
COUNTY.
DO YOU THINK THE VOLUME OF
ABSENTEE BALLOTS OF ALL KIND
RESULTED IN VOTER FRAUD IN
WISCONSIN THAT FLIPPED THE
ELECTION TO JOE BIDEN?
>> NO.
I DO BELIEVE WE HAVE A MIGHT A HIGHER
PERCENTAGE OF VOTER FRAUD, THAT
WE WILL HAVE A HIGHER NUMBER,
BUT I HAVE TOLD LOTS ON LOTS OF
CONSERVATIVES STRAIGHT UP THAT
WE DO NOT HAVE 20,000 VOTER
FRAUD CASES IN THE STATE OF
WISCONSIN.
I AM CONFIDENT OF THAT.
BUT I ALSO POINT OUT THAT
INDIVIDUALS WHO THINK THAT WE
NEED NOT TWEAK OUR ELECTION
LAWS, WE DID IN 2016 WITH THE
ACCUSATIONS FROM DEMOCRATS THAT
RUSSIANS HACKED OUR ELECTIONS
AND WE DEALT WITH HOMELAND
SECURITY AND WE ADDED MORE IN
CRYP SHON AND DOUBLE
AUTHENTICATION FROM THE CLERKS
WHEN THEY'RE IN THE SYSTEM.
SO WE REACTED TO THOSE
ACCUSATIONS, JUST AS WE'RE GOING
TO REACT TO ACCUSATIONS MADE
DURING THIS ELECTION.
>> WELL, WE WILL WAIT TO SEE
WHAT THOSE MODIFICATIONS LOOK
LIKE.
SENATOR, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR