Pewaukee — Today Rep. Adam Neylon (R-Pewaukee) issued the following statement after voting in support of a motion in the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules (JCRAR) to require the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) to follow state law by allowing Special Voting Deputies to assist residents of care facilities who request absentee ballots:
“The vote today in JCRAR was about ensuring laws that were passed by an elected legislature and signed by an elected governor are followed. Laws on the books are not suggestions or offers. They are absolute.
“I know I am not alone in my belief that maintaining election integrity in Wisconsin is vitally important. Elections in which the laws are followed and are free and fair, are the bedrock of our republic. Without election integrity and the confidence of the electorate, the democratic experiment we call America will fail.
“In 2020 voters across Wisconsin witnessed a myriad of election-related irregularities. Already this session a number of legislative proposals have been introduced aiming to address these issues, and I have no doubt there will be additional election reform legislation introduced as session continues. I am also confident other legislative committees besides JCRAR will be meeting this session to discuss the election irregularities that took place last year and I will be following them closely.
“However, the business of JCRAR today was to focus on WEC’s flagrant violation of the law on January 15, 2021, when they passed a motion 5 to 1 prohibiting Special Voting Deputies from fulfilling their statutorily-defined duty, and instead decided to directly mail ballots to voters in care facilities.
“I along with multiple legislative council attorneys contend the Wisconsin Elections Commission’s January 15th motion DOES meet the definition of a rule. Therefore, the motion JCRAR passed today says if the WEC has evidence of its legal authority to issue directives waiving state law regarding Special Voting Deputies, they must issue an Emergency Rule on that subject. Failure to do so must be taken to mean they recognize they have no such authority and Special Voting Deputies can resume their lawful role in helping voters in care facilities across Wisconsin.”
