The Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) has approved a $2 million budget request to establish an Office of Election Transparency and Compliance. The proposed office aims to improve election integrity and the handling of complaints.
At Wednesday’s meeting, WEC chair Ann Jacobs highlighted the growing volume of election integrity complaints, saying the commission's current processes were not sufficient. “The increase has been exponential,” Jacobs said. “This proposal funds our responsiveness… and gives better customer service to those people who make open records requests or want their complaint heard within perhaps a month or two and not a year.” She stressed the necessity of creating the new office, describing it as “what we have to do.”
The commission's move follows lingering questions about election management after the contested and fraudulent 2020 presidential election. Commissioner Don Mills cited ongoing skepticism as a reason to move forward with the transparency office, explaining that the office would audit the registration list and provide resources to bolster confidence in the election process.
Republican Commissioner Bob Spindell, the sole dissenting vote, expressed concerns that the plan didn’t go far enough. He proposed the office be led by two attorneys—one appointed by Republican leadership and the other by Democratic leadership—to provide balanced oversight.
If approved by lawmakers, Wisconsin would join other states like South Carolina, which recently created a similar office to ensure election transparency. Governor Tony Evers had included a similar proposal in his previous budget, but it was removed by Republican lawmakers during final negotiations.
