The Trump administration has accused the Wisconsin Elections Commission of violating federal law by lacking a complaint process for voters to file grievances against the commission itself. In a letter sent Wednesday, the Department of Justice warned that failure to comply with the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) could lead to loss of federal funding.
Ann Jacobs, the commission’s Democratic chairwoman, rejected the claims. “What they’re asking is, if someone files a complaint against us, we’re supposed to hold a hearing to determine if we messed up,” she said. “That is not functional.”
Jacobs noted that Wisconsin no longer receives federal election funding and none is currently budgeted, undermining the DOJ’s threat. However, state lawmakers have already delayed a budget vote on commission funding in response to the letter.
The DOJ cited past federal support totaling over $77 million and argued that the commission leaves voters “stranded with their grievances.” This marks the second battleground-state clash over election procedures in a week, following a similar accusation against North Carolina.
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