The Sconi

The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) has issued a statement following the successful passing of Statewide Referendum Questions 1 & 2 in the April 2nd Spring Election. These amendments have now been added to the Wisconsin Constitution after receiving the approval of the voters. WILL had actively supported these amendments during the Spring 2024 election and the 2023-24 Legislative Session.

The amendments were a response to the significant influence of private funds, known as “Zuckerbucks,” that entered Wisconsin's 2020 election. These funds, provided by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg through the Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL), were distributed unevenly, with a large portion going to the state's largest cities. WILL's research revealed that Wisconsin municipalities received $10.3 million in grant funding from CTCL, with 86% allocated to the five largest cities in the state.

Rick Esenberg, President and General Counsel of WILL, emphasized the importance of fair and impartial election administration, stating, “The administration of our elections should be fair, impartial, and free from outside influence.” He added, “Today, Wisconsin becomes the 28th state to approve a measure to keep private funding out of impartial election administration. Whether you identify with the left or the right, ensuring the fairness and integrity of our elections should be a shared priority.”

WILL's efforts to ensure election integrity included highlighting the disproportionate distribution of grant funding to Wisconsin's major cities in previous research. Their comprehensive report on the 2020 Presidential Election shed light on the impact of external funding, earning recognition as “The Best Summary of the 2020 Election” by the Wall Street Journal.

In the lead-up to the Spring Primary, WILL engaged in an extensive messaging campaign to educate voters and advocate for the passage of the Constitutional Amendments. This campaign involved various communication channels such as media appearances, text messaging, social media advertising, and a video campaign on streaming platforms.