In Wisconsin, as in most states, elections are handled, for the most part, by civic-minded volunteers and part-time municipal clerks. For years, that system has worked well overall and few seriously challenged the results of either local or federal elections. After his defeat in 2020, however, former President Trump began circulating and repeating rumors of widespread election fraud. The rumors caught on and spread. In Wisconsin, former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gabelman ran an investigation into alleged voter fraud that even fellow Republican Robin Vos agreed was futile. All over Wisconsin, the number of partisan poll watchers have increased, with many worrying about voter intimidation. Jacob Resneck’s recent article for Wisconsin Watch dives into election skepticism across the state.
