The Sconi

The Wisconsin Voter Alliance (WVA) has withdrawn its election bribery complaints filed in four counties after a circuit court judge in Dane County this month ruled in favor of the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC), one of the principal targets of the complaints.

Dane was the fifth county where WVA filed a complaint; the others were Racine, Kenosha, Brown and Milwaukee. The group had already filed a separate round of complaints, focused on illegal use of drop boxes for mail ballots, in anticipation of the Dane County judge's ruling.

Ron Heuer, WVA president, told The Sconi that the election bribery complaints in all counties were similar and were likely to suffer the same fate as in Dane.

“Basically the judge said that we had to uncomplicate our approach,” Heuer said. “We had already decided to do that with our new complaints. These are very direct and deal with one subject matter (the drop boxes)."

The new complaints allege that the municipal clerks in Milwaukee, Madison, Racine, Kenosha and Green Bay -- all under Democratic control -- had no legal authority to allow the use of drop boxes for mail ballots leading up to the 2020 general election. State law requires that mail ballots must be mailed back or handed directly to an election official.

The newly filed legal action also included a complaint against WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe for instructing election officials on the use of drop boxes.

Special counsel for the Thomas More Society Erick Kaardal, who is representing Wisconsin voters affiliated with the WVA, said that Wolfe likewise had no authority to issue instructions on the use of the drop boxes since state law prohibits their use.

“Wolfe’s willful neglection or refusal to do her duty under Wisconsin Statutes Chapter 12 is an abuse and violation of her post as Wisconsin Election Commission Administrator,” Kaardal said in a statement. “Twice, in informal advisory opinions issued March 3, 2020, and Aug. 19, 2020, she failed those duties. The suspicious timing of these opinions coincides with the simultaneous negotiation and agreement to receive private money from the Center for Tech and Civic Life to fund election activities.”

The illegal drop box allegations against Wolfe and the municipal clerks has some legal precedent on its side.

In January, Waukesha Circuit Court Judge Michael Bohren ruled that the use of drop boxes violated state law. On appeal, the state Supreme Court ruled in February that drop boxes would not be allowed in April’s spring elections. A final ruling by the high court is expected before the end of the month.