WISCONSIN – President Trump stated this morning that he would be signing executive orders in advance of the 2026 midterm elections targeting mail-in ballots and voting machines in an effort to “bring honesty back” to elections.
Elections are administered at the state level, and the federal government does not play a role in determining the rules for election administration in each state. The Democracy Defense Project – Wisconsin (DDP-WI) board, a bipartisan group of leaders including former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, former Attorney General JB Van Hollen, former U.S. Representative Scott Klug, and former Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate, condemn the proposed actions of the President and believe it is crucial for Wisconsin elections to remain safe and secure, that Wisconsin, not Washington, must determine what tools give the people of this state the best access to vote in our elections.
The DDP-WI Board released the following statement in response to today’s proposed executive orders.
“The Constitution is clear: the federal government does not administer elections at the state level. Just half a decade ago, Republicans in Congress vehemently opposed H.R. 1/S. 1 for many of the same reasons – that the federal government has no place in managing the individual elections of states. In fact, improved access to voting methods, including the electronic machines Wisconsin uses that produce paper ballots and are unable to be connected to the internet, have benefitted Republicans just as much as Democrats. Wisconsin has displayed time and time again that our elections are safe and secure, and while we can always make them more efficient, there is no tolerance for inaccuracy in our results.”
