A roll of "I voted" stickers is ready for voters at Union Congregational Church in Green Bay during the spring primary election Feb. 15, 2022. PC: Fox 11 Online
(WTAQ-WLUK) — Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul is weighing in on proposed changes to mail-in ballots.
It comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order this spring to crack down on mail-in voting.
The recent directive over mail-in ballots from the Trump administration is being challenged in court.
Proposed changes would require states to hand over eligible voter lists to the United States Postal Service.
Attorney General Josh Kaul, D-Wisconsin, said President Trump’s executive order violates the law.
“The federal government, in particular the president and his administration, need to stop trying to tell states how to run elections. States do a really good job of running safe and secure free and fair elections and that is a state responsibility under our constitution,” Kaul said.
Twenty-three Democratic-led states — including Wisconsin and the District of Columbia — are among those suing to block the directive.
Kaul said Trump’s order gives too much control to the federal government and worries people will be wrongfully denied their right to vote.
“So if they refuse to deliver absentee ballots to people because of their own determination as to who’s eligible, that could mean that some people who sign up to get absentee ballots don’t get them and may ultimately not be able to cast a ballot,” Kaul said.
Under the directive, if states fail to provide a list with everyone set to receive mail-in ballots, the Postal Service could deny delivery of them. President Trump said his goal is to stop fraud from mail-in voting.
“The cheating on mail-in voting is legendary, it’s horrible what’s going on and it’s very clearly covered– very, very clearly– so I think this will help a lot with elections,” Trump said.
In a statement to CNN, the White House said the “entire Trump Administration will continue lawfully enacting the agenda President Trump was elected to enact – which includes the safety and security of American elections.”
The proposed changes are also drawing criticism from members of the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
“My biggest concern is it appears to allow the federal government through the post office to prevent or veto the use of absentee voting by mail, which is extremely popular not only in Wisconsin but across the nation,” Wisconsin Elections Commissioner Ann Jacobs said.
Jacobs said it’s not necessary for the Postal Service to have this information.
Other WEC members said municipal clerks are already stretched thin and worry the proposed changes will slow down the delivery of election mail even more.
Chair Don Millis is a republican-appointed member of the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
“It would force all mail-in ballots to go to either Minneapolis or Milwaukee and one of the things that I find ironic is that this is going to hurt Republican candidates a lot more than Democratic candidates,” Millis said.
Millis said Brown County saw a significant number of mail-in ballots during the 2024 presidential election, which President Trump won.
Kaul said the case is currently making its way through court.
He expects the judge will rule in his favor in the coming weeks.
If not, Kaul said the directive could create significant confusion for upcoming elections.
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