Gov. Tony Evers today rescheduled a special election to fill the 7th CD for May 12 after his original plan conflicted with federal law.
Evers’ call lines up the primary with the already scheduled Feb. 18 ballot, which will include the primary for the state Supreme Court.
Evers had originally been looking at two options for the new dates. One was for a Feb. 18 primary with a May 5 general election. But by pushing the general election out to May 12, it avoids a scenario in which another special election would have to be held to fill a legislative seat if an incumbent lawmaker running for the 7th CD won, according to the guv’s office.
Currently, state Sen. Tom Tiffany, R-Minoqua, is the only lawmaker running for the seat.
Evers originally scheduled the special election for Jan. 27, a Monday, with a Dec. 30 primary. But he was forced to look for new dates due to the U.S. Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. It requires absentee ballots to be sent to voters at least 45 days before federal elections, and the original dates wouldn’t allow election officials to meet that requirement.
Republicans have slammed Evers for having to reschedule the election and the time it has taken him to announce new dates.
