Two questions about proposed amendments to the WI Constitution are on the April 2 ballot. Both concern election funding and administration. The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin and other voting rights organizations urge citizens to VOTE NO on both questions.

Question 1:“Use of private funds in election administration. Shall section 7 (1) of article III of the constitution be created to provide that private donations and grants may not be applied for, accepted, expended, or used in connection with the conduct of any primary, election, or referendum?"

Question 2:“Election officials.Shall section 7 (2) of article III of the constitution be created to provide that only election officials designated by law may perform tasks in the conduct of primaries, elections, and referendums?"

In typical fashion, the referenda are worded in a way that may leave voters wondering about the impact of a yes or no vote. The proposed amendments were prompted by the April 2020 election held at the start of the pandemic. The Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL), an organization funded by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, donated money to help WI municipalities run elections. Grants were awarded to more than 200 municipalities in WI, with the largest cities getting the largest amounts. The CTCL gave more than 2,500 election grants nationwide.The money was used for things like buying scarce PPE, plexiglass barriers, and providing hazard pay for poll workers, who didn't want to defy the governor's stay-at-home order. It is important to note that donated private money becomes public funds subject to the laws regarding election administration. A lawsuit seeking to prohibit the acceptance of the funds was rejected by the WI Supreme Court and a federal court.

Question 2 is vaguely worded in that it does not define an “election official,” and does not address the people that clerks rely on to help run elections: volunteers, election observers and government bodies such as those that provide security and law enforcement services.