A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the La Crosse County Election Department on February 5, 2025. The request was made by The Sconi, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The request asked for a list of all candidates running in the upcoming election under the Wisconsin Open Records Law, §19.31 et seq. The details requested for each candidate included their first, middle, and last names; the office they are running for; jurisdiction of the office; party affiliation; and all contact information including address, phone number, and email address.
As representatives of The Sconi, we emphasized our role as news reporters in gathering and reporting news to the public. We highlighted that access to public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities, which include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we expressed our belief that we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.
We are awaiting a response from the La Crosse County Election Department regarding this request. As always, our aim is to keep the public informed about local governmental affairs with utmost accuracy and transparency.
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