April 27, 2023
Wisconsin Elections Commission
201 West Washington Avenue, Second Floor
Madison, WI 53707
Sent via email
Dear Members of the Wisconsin Elections Commission:
On behalf of Verified Voting, I submit these comments regarding the April 28, 2023 meeting of the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Our comments focus on the suggestions made by the Election Observer Advisory Committee on the election observer rulemaking. Verified Voting is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen democracy for all voters by promoting the responsible use of technology in elections. We believe that the integrity and strength of our democracy rely on citizens’ trust that each vote is counted as cast.
Verified Voting recommends that the Commission adopt the suggestion from members of the Election Observer Advisory Committee to include pre-election equipment testing, post-election equipment audits, and county canvasses as part of the election observer rulemaking. In particular, with respect to post-election equipment audits, it is important that both the selection of units to be audited and the conduct of the audits be open to observation. As with recounts, observers of equipment audits need not be subject to a strict 3-to-8-foot requirement, as long as observers do not disrupt proceedings.
Allowing for meaningful observation of the election process, while respecting the privacy of voters, is crucial to building trust in our elections. Thank you for your consideration of these comments.
Respectfully submitted,
Chrissa LaPorte
Senior Policy & Technical Associate