KABBY HONG THANK YOU SO MUCH.
HAVE A GREAT SCHOOL YEAR.
>> Kabby Hong: THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE IT.
>> Frederica Freyberg: IN
ELECTION NEWS A FEDERAL JUDGE IN
MADISON THIS WEEK RULED
WISCONSIN VOTERS WITH
DISABILITIES CAN GET HELP
RETURNING THEIR BALLOTS CITING
THE FEDERAL VOTING RIGHTS ACT.
THIS DECISION AFTER THE STATE
SUPREME COURT RULED ONLY THE
VOTER COULD RETURN AN ABSENTEE
BALLOT TO THE CLERKS OFFICE.
APPROVED A PROPOSAL TO SEEK
$1.3 MILLION TO HIRE TEN PEOPLE
AND CREATE AN ELECTIONS
INSPECTOR GENERAL PROGRAM.
HOW WILL ANY OF THIS SQUARE WITH
REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF THE STATE
LEGISLATURE WHO HAD THE
COMMISSION IN THEIR SIGHTS FOR
ITS GUIDANCE DURING THE 2020
ELECTION?
FOR MORE ON THIS ADMINISTRATOR
OF THE WISCONSIN ELECTION
COMMISSION MEAGAN WOLFE.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> Meagan Wolfe: THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME.
>> Frederica Freyberg: WHAT IS
YOUR RESPONSE?
>> Meagan Wolfe: THE COMMISSION
WILL FORMALLY RESPOND AT A
SPECIAL MEETING TO BE CONDUCTED
ON SEPTEMBER 6th AT 6:00 P.M.
PART OF THE JUDGES RULING WAS TO
DIRECT THE COMMISSION TO PROVIDE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND
GUIDANCE TO VOTERS WITH
DISABILITIES ABOUT THE EXACT
MECHANICS OF HOW THEY CAN CHOOSE
TO HELP THEM MAIL OR DELIVER
THEIR ABSENTEE BALLOT.
SO THE COMMISSION WILL BE
MEETING IN PUBLIC IN OPEN
SESSION ON SEPTEMBER 6th TO
HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.
>> Frederica Freyberg: THE COURT
ALSO DIRECTED CLERKS TO BE
NOTIFIED BY NEXT FRIDAY OF THE
GUIDANCE.
DOES A VOTER HAVE TO SOMEHOW
PROVE THEIR DISABILITY TO GET
THIS HELP?
>> Meagan Wolfe: THAT WILL BE
PART OF THE CONVERSATION THAT IS
AT THE COMMISSION'S MEETING.
BUT IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT MOST
LIKELY BE APPROPRIATE OR
SOMETHING THAT IS PART OF THAT
PROCESS.
VOTERS DO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO CHOOSE SOMEONE TO BE ABLE TO
SAY CYST THEM UNDER BOTH STATE
AND FEDERAL LAW.
>> Frederica Freyberg: AS TO THE
UNANIMOUS APPROVAL FOR MORE THAN
$1 MILLION AND INSPECTOR GENERAL
FOR THE ELECTIONS COMMISSION,
WHY IS THAT NEEDED?
>> Meagan Wolfe: SO I THINK IT'S
A RESULT OF NEEDS.
IT'S A REALLY NEEDS-DRIVEN
PROPOSAL.
AND IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE'VE
REALLY SEEN THAT THE ELECTION
LANDSCAPE HAS CHANGED
DRAMATICALLY.
THE REQUEST AND THE DEMANDS UPON
OUR AGENCY HAS SHIFTED.
WE HAVE SEEN SUCH A TREMENDOUS
INCREASE IN PEOPLE ASKING FOR
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
AND THE COMMISSION EVEN, THEIR
DESIRE TO INCREASE THINGS LIKE
THE AUDITS THAT OUR AGENCY
CONDUCTS.
AND SO THIS PROPOSAL, AND NOW
THE COMMISSION'S UNANIMOUS
APPROVAL OF THIS PROPOSAL,
REALLY PLACES BEFORE LAWMAKERS
AND THE GOVERNOR IN THE 2023
BUDGET-MAKING PROCESS A COUPLE
QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST IS, DO THEY WANT TO
SEE AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF
VOTING EQUIPMENT AUDITS THAT ARE
CONDUCTED?
DO THEY WANT TO SEE AN EXPANSION
IN PROGRAMS LIKE OUR
ACCESSIBILITY AUDITS?
AND DO THEY WANT THE COMMISSION
TO ENGAGE IN ADDITIONAL CHECKS,
REVIEWS, INDEPENDENT AUDITS OF
VOTER DATA AND VOTER ROLES?
AND IF THE ANSWER IS YES TO
THOSE QUESTIONS, THEN WE NEED TO
ASK FOR FUNDING FOR THOSE
PROGRAMS THROUGH THE STATE
BUDGET PROCESS.
>> Frederica Freyberg: AND IS
THERE SOMETHING SPECIFIC THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL WOULD DO?
>> Meagan Wolfe: SO THE
INSPECTOR GENERAL WOULD BE THE
HEAD OF THAT DEPARTMENT.
UNDER THAT DEPARTMENT THEY WOULD
HAVE VARIOUS STAFF THAT WOULD BE
LOOKING INTO -- THEY MIGHT BE
DATA EXPERTS.
THEY MIGHT BE EXPERTS ON
ACCESSIBILITY AUDITS.
THEY MIGHT BE EXPERTS ON VOTING
EQUIPMENT AND CERTIFICATION IN
OTHER ASPECTS OF THAT PROGRAM
ANTEINSPECTOR GENERAL WOULD BE
THE ONE THAT IS SUPERVISING THAT
WORK AS IS DIRECTED BY THE
COMMISSION AND THROUGH THE
STRUCTURE OF THE AGENCY.
>> Frederica Freyberg: HERE'S
WHAT REPRESENTATIVE JANELLE
BRANSON SAID ABOUT THIS.
QUOTE, THIS IS PLAY OUTSIDE
OF -- OFFERING A FIX WHILE
PRETENDING IT WILL SOLVE THE
PROBLEMS OF THIS ROGUE AGENCY.
SO GIVEN THAT KIND OF
PERSUASION, WHAT HAPPENS, IN
YOUR MIND, IF THIS MONEY ISN'T
APPROVED?
>> Meagan Wolfe: IF THIS MONEY
ISN'T APPROVED, WE WON'T BE ABLE
TO EXPAND INTO THOSE ADDITIONAL
AREAS.
AND I THINK THAT WOULD BE A REAL
SHAME FOR WISCONSIN VOTERS AND
EVEN FOR LAWMAKERS.
BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION,
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO
ENGAGE WITH ELECTION
INFORMATION.
ADDITIONAL TRANSPARENCY.
BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO TAKE ON
THESE NEW ADDITIONAL TASKS, WE
NEED TO SEE ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
SUSTAINABLE FUNDING THROUGH THE
STATE BUDGET PROCESS.
>> Frederica Freyberg: SPEAKING
OF CRITIC BRANSON, SHE IS
HOLDING A HEARING ON WHY THE
COMMISSION IS REINSTATING 31,000
PREVIOUSLY INACTIVE VOTERS TO
THE VOTERS REGISTRATION LIST.
WHY ARE THEY PUTTING BACK ON THE
ROLES?
>> Meagan Wolfe: THAT IS GREAT
QUESTION.
AND IT IS A RESULT OF THE STATE
SUPREME COURT DECISION THE
ZANEGO DECISION.
AFTER THAT DECISION WAS HANDED
DOWN, THE COMMISSION HAD BEFORE
IT TWO QUESTIONS.
ONE, WHAT WAS TO DO WITH FOLKS
THAT WERE IDENTIFIED BY ERIKA'S
POTENTIALLY MOVING AND SENT
MAILER.
WHAT TO DO WITH THEM MOVING
FORWARD.
AND THE COURT SAID THAT IS A
MUNICIPAL CLERK RESPONSIBILITY.
SO THE COMMISSION GAVE GUIDANCE
TO THE MUNICIPAL CLERKS TO TAKE
ACTION ON THOSE RECORDS.
THE SECOND QUESTION THAT WAS
BEFORE THE COMMISSION IS WHAT TO
DO WITH THE VOTERS THAT HAD
ALREADY BEEN DEACTIVATED AND
WHERE THE COURT SAID IT WAS A
MUNICIPAL CLERK RESPONSIBILITY,
NOT A RESPONSIBILITY OF THE
ELECTIONS COMMISSION.
AND IN THAT CASE, THERE WAS A
FOLLOW UP LAWSUIT AND AS OF THAT
LAWSUIT, THERE WAS A STIPULATION
THAT THOSE VOTERS WOULD BE
REACTIVATED.
>> Frederica Freyberg: COMPLICAT
COMPLICATED -- COMPLICATED STUF.
MEAGAN WOLFE THANK YOU.
>> Meagan Wolfe: THANK YOU.
>> Frederica Freyberg: THE STATE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT CRIMINALLY
CHARGED -- WITH HIS REQUESTING
ABSENTEE BALLOTS IF FOR TWO
OTHER PEOPLE.
CHARGING PAPERS SAY HE COULD