Date: 10/25/2008 1:55 PM
By The Associated Press
Biographical information about the candidates seeking election Nov. 4 in Wisconsin’s eight congressional districts:
1st District
NAME — Paul Ryan, incumbent
PARTY — Republican
AGE — 38
RESIDES — Janesville
EDUCATION — Bachelor’s degrees in political science and economics, Miami University in Ohio, 1992.
CAREER — Worked on the staff of then-U.S. Rep. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., in 1995-96 and then on Brownback’s U.S. Senate staff in 1997. He also worked as a marketing consultant at RYAN Inc. Central, a Janesville-based construction company started by his great-grandfather and now owned by his cousins. He was first elected to the U.S. House in 1998.
PERSONAL — Married, three children.
NAME — Marge Krupp
PARTY — Democrat
AGE — 52
RESIDES — Pleasant Prairie
EDUCATION — Graduated from Racine’s Horlick High School, earned a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1978 and an MBA in marketing and finance from Northwestern University in 1983.
CAREER — She worked for S.C. Johnson and Son Inc. in Racine and in 1990 joined Abbott Laboratories, managing projects that included adding research and development of laboratory space at the company. She resigned from a marketing job to run for Congress, her first campaign for public office.
PERSONAL — Married, one son.
NAME — Joseph Kexel
PARTY — Libertarian
AGE — 43
RESIDES — Kenosha
EDUCATION — Graduated from Bradford High School in Kenosha in 1983; attended University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
CAREER — He is self-employed as an information technology consultant with his company called Vikkex. This is his first run for public office. He believes in personal liberty and supports a smaller role for the federal government in Americans’ lives.
PERSONAL — Married, two daughters.
___
2nd District
NAME — Tammy Baldwin, incumbent
PARTY — Democrat
AGE — 46
RESIDES — Madison
EDUCATION — Bachelor’s degree in mathematics and political science, Smith College in Northampton, Mass., 1984; law degree, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1989.
CAREER — Elected to the Dane County Board in 1986 and served four years. She was elected to the state Assembly in 1992 as the youngest woman in the Wisconsin Legislature. She was first elected to the U.S. House in 1998 and is the only openly gay woman in Congress.
PERSONAL — Has partner.
NAME — Peter Theron
PARTY — Republican
AGE — 52
RESIDES — Madison
EDUCATION — Raised in Connecticut and earned a bachelor of arts degree in statistics at Princeton University. In 1980, he enrolled in graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and earned a Ph.D. in mathematics.
CAREER — He has taught statistics, mathematics and computer science at UW-Madison, UW-Whitewater and Beloit College. He has created commercial software for the educational and entertainment industries, and consulted with companies on software and web site design. For the past eight years he has taught industrial programming courses for computer professionals. He is making his first run for public office.
PERSONAL — Married.
___
3rd District
NAME — Ron Kind, incumbent
PARTY — Democrat
AGE — 45
RESIDES — La Crosse
EDUCATION — Bachelor’s degree in government and economics, Harvard University, 1985; master’s degree, London School of Economics, 1986; law degree, University of Minnesota, 1990.
CAREER — La Crosse County assistant district attorney, 1992-96. He was first elected to the U.S. House in 1996.
PERSONAL — Married, two children.
NAME — Paul Stark
PARTY — Republican
AGE — 47
RESIDES — Eau Claire
EDUCATION — Graduated from high school in Tempe, Ariz., in 1979. He earned a bachelor of business administration degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a masters degree in business taxation from the University of Minnesota.
CAREER — He says his first job was at age 14 as a “cleanup boy” for a Milwaukee doughnut shop. He worked as a certified public accountant before founding his own construction company in Eau Claire in 2003. He is a member of the National Association of Home Builder and the National Association of Realtors. He is making his first run for public office.
PERSONAL — Married, two children.
NAME — Kevin Barrett
PARTY — Libertarian
AGE — 49
RESIDES — Lone Rock
EDUCATION — Bachelors degree in journalism from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1981; masters degrees in English literature and French from San Francisco State University in the early 1990s; doctorate degree in African languages and literature in 2004.
CAREER — UW-Madison lecturer; works as radio journalist with Genesis Communications Network, No Lies Radio, Republic Broadcasting Network and We the People Radio Network; believes the U.S. government, not al-Qaida, orchestrated the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
PERSONAL — Married, two children.
___
4th District
NAME — Gwen Moore, incumbent
PARTY — Democrat
AGE — 57
RESIDES — Milwaukee
EDUCATION — Bachelor’s degree in political science, Marquette University, 1978; certified in credit union management at Milwaukee Area Technical College, 1983.
CAREER — She worked a series of government jobs and spearheaded an effort to establish a credit union in her neighborhood. She was elected to the state Assembly in 1988 and was the first black woman elected to the state Senate in 1992.
PERSONAL — Single, three children.
NAME — Michael LaForest
PARTY — Independent
AGE — 52
RESIDES — Milwaukee
EDUCATION — Bachelor’s degree, Ferris State University, 1986; master’s degree, UW-Superior, 1991.
CAREER — Job counselor, Lac Courte Oreilles Community College, 1992-1996; job training counselor, Oneida Nation 1997, 1998-1999; state Department of Workforce Development, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, 1997-1998, 1999-2005; part-time organic fruit, vegetable and poultry farmer and substitute teacher. He is a foster parent. This is his third run for public office. He was an unsuccessful candidate for state secretary of state in 2006 and for the Milwaukee City Council in 2008.
PERSONAL — Single, with partner.
___
5th District
NAME — James Sensenbrenner, incumbent
PARTY — Republican
AGE — 65
RESIDES — Menomonee Falls
EDUCATION — Bachelor’s degree, Stanford University, 1965; law degree, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1968.
CAREER — He was a staff assistant to then-Rep. J. Arthur Younger of California in 1965. He practiced law, then served in the Wisconsin Assembly, 1969-75, and the state Senate, 1975-79. He was first elected to the U.S. House in 1978.
PERSONAL — Married, two children.
NAME — Robert Raymond
PARTY — Independent
AGE — 54
RESIDES — Shorewood
EDUCATION — Attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for two years, 1974-75.
CAREER — He owns Raymond Contractors, a roofing company in business for more than 25 years. He ran unsuccessfully against Republican incumbent Jim Sensenbrenner in 2002. He was executive director of the Coalition for Independent Americans, an inactive organiz
ation that focused on reducing government regulations and abolishing the income tax.
PERSONAL — Divorced, two children.
___
6th District
NAME — Tom Petri, incumbent
PARTY — Republican
AGE — 68
RESIDES — Fond du Lac
EDUCATION — Bachelor’s degree, Harvard University, 1962; law degree, Harvard University, 1965.
CAREER — He served in the Peace Corps in Somalia, 1966-67, and was an aide in the White House in 1969. He began practicing law in Fond du Lac in 1970 and served in the state Senate, 1973-79. He was first elected the U.S. House in a 1979 special election.
PERSONAL — Married, one child.
NAME — Roger Kittelson
PARTY — Democrat
AGE — 52
RESIDES — Lomira
EDUCATION — Graduated from Goodhue, Minn., High School in 1975. He earned a bachelor of science degree in agricultural economics and political science in 1980 and a masters of science degree in 1988 from the University of Minnesota.
CAREER — He unsuccessfully ran for the Minnesota House of Representatives as the Democratic Farmer Labor candidate in 1982. He has spent 26 years in agricultural business, including nine years with the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a dairy marketing specialist. For seven years, beginning in 1985, he served on the school board for Our Lady of Peace Catholic Elementary School in Minneapolis. He got 62 percent of the vote in the Sept. 9 Democratic primary to defeat Mark Wollum, a physical therapist from Beaver Dam.
PERSONAL — Divorced, four children.
___
7th District
NAME — David Obey, incumbent
PARTY — Democrat
AGE — 70
RESIDES — Wausau
EDUCATION — Bachelor’s degree, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1960; master’s degree, UW-Madison, 1962.
CAREER — He worked as a real estate broker and served in the Wisconsin Legislature, 1962-69. He was first elected to the U.S. House in April 1969 in a special election.
PERSONAL — Married, two children.
NAME — Dan Mielke
PARTY — Republican
AGE — 53
RESIDES — Rudolph
EDUCATION — Graduated from DeForest High School in 1972. He attended Bear Valley School of Preaching in Denver, Colo., in biblical studies for two years. The school, now called the Bear Valley School of Biblical Studies, was associated with Bear Valley Church of Christ.
CAREER — Mielke says he has been a self-supporting minister since 1975. He worked in factories for five years and has been self-employed since 1979. He operates an organic vegetable and berry farm, owns a woodworking business, sells goods at summer farmers markets and is a state-certified property assessor. This is his fourth run for public office. He lost a 2004 race for the Wisconsin Assembly in District 70, a 2006 race for Portage County executive and a 2007 race for the Town of Linwood Board.
PERSONAL — Married, three children.
___
8th District
NAME — Steve Kagen, incumbent
PARTY — Democrat
AGE — 58
RESIDES — Appleton
EDUCATION — Bachelor’s degree, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1972; medical degree, UW-Madison, 1976.
CAREER — He founded Kagen Allergy Clinics in Appleton, Green Bay, Oshkosh and Fond du Lac. He was first elected to the U.S. House in 2006, winning 51 percent of the vote, giving the seat to a Democrat for the first time in eight years. Republicans have held the seat for most of three decades.
PERSONAL — Married, four children.
NAME — John Gard
PARTY — Republican
AGE — 45
RESIDES — Suamico.
EDUCATION — Bachelor’s degree in public administration and political science, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 1986.
CAREER — He worked as a legislative aide from 1986 to 1987 before being elected to the state Assembly representing a northern Wisconsin district in 1987. He became Assembly speaker in 2003. Narrowly lost 2006 8th District race after President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney campaigned for him. He runs Gard Business Group, a consulting firm that works with businesses to grow their company and create jobs.
PERSONAL — Married, two children.
Source: Candidates
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
Battle for state legislatures carries high stakes
Date: 10/28/2008
By ROBERT TANNER
AP National Writer
Political control of several key state legislatures could change hands on Election Day, raising the chance for one-party domination of swing states Michigan and Pennsylvania, booming Nevada and Northeast giant New York.
Democrats are cautiously optimistic that enthusiasm and turnout for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign will help their candidates far down the ticket. Republicans hope to steer clear of the national mood that has turned against the GOP and focus instead on local issues.
Though state legislative races draw far less attention than contests for the White House, Congress and governor, the party that controls the legislatures has an outsized role nationally — crafting domestic policy, drawing congressional districts and laying the foundation for political stars in the future.
Obama himself is only four years removed from a stint in the Illinois Legislature. Democratic control there first gave him the spotlight and the chance to pass legislation that he often cites on the campaign trail.
Nationally, Democrats already hold their strongest majority in more than a decade, controlling the legislatures in 23 states. Republicans dominate in 14 states. Twelve states are split, and Nebraska is nonpartisan.
In some ways, Democrats are suffering from too much of a good thing: The party’s victories since 2004 eroded GOP gains from the 1990s but made it that much harder to find opportunities for growth now.
“We’re doing a little more defense than we have, and a little less offense,” said Iowa Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal, chairman of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, a national group that has raised more than $6 million to spend on legislative races in the past two years.
Republicans see cause for hope, though they make a point to avoid national issues because polls show widespread dissatisfaction with President Bush and Republicans in Congress.
“You certainly can’t omit or be unaware of the national environment. But if you run your race on local issues, you can separate yourself very easily,” said Carrie Cantrell with the Republican State Leadership Committee, which provides cash and other resources to help win legislative seats.
Forty-four states will hold legislative elections next month, with 5,824 seats — or 79 percent of all legislative seats — before the voters.
“In an environment that seems to favor Democrats across the board in 2008, legislatures could deliver a bright spot for Republicans,” said Tim Storey, an elections expert at the National Conference of State Legislatures. “If Democrats do gain seats, it will truly reflect a landslide by the party and would really be an indicator of this turnout machine.”
Among the most closely watched states:
— New York, where Democrats are only two seats away from a majority in the state Senate. If they win, it would be the first time Democrats have held all three decision-making parts of government — governor, Assembly and Senate — since 1935.
— Pennsylvania, where Republicans need only to pick up one seat to take back control of the House and dominate the entire Legislature.
— Montana, where control could flip either way or remain split. Democrats lead the Senate with a two-seat margin, while Republicans hold the House by just one seat.
Other states where one party could take control include Delaware, Indiana, Michigan and Oklahoma. Democrats also see opportunities to gain power in the Ohio House and Wisconsin Assembly.
In New York, Senate Democratic leader Malcolm Smith said Obama is having a “tremendous impact” on the effort to gain two seats and take power, citing voter registration and Democratic enthusiasm in four critical districts. “This is our best chance,” he said.
The interest spreads beyond state lines. For instance, national groups that advocate for gay rights and their supporters have contributed money to the state Senate effort. Both the Assembly and Democratic Gov. David Paterson have expressed support for same-sex marriage.
In conservative Texas, Republicans hold the Legislature and all statewide offices, and polls show strong support for John McCain. But Democrats say their candidates are doing well, and there is a chance to win the House.
These contests also attract national attention and cash because of the power state legislatures have to redraw the maps of Congress. Though redistricting won’t begin in earnest until after the 2010 Census, when population changes require new congressional lines, maneuvering has already begun.
Gronstal said he has already been in “very serious discussions” with Democratic leaders in Congress about which states should be targeted now and in the 2010 election for redistricting purposes. “I describe it as who gets to get the crayons to draw the lines.”
In New England, every state legislature is now in Democratic hands. But in Maine, Republicans see a chance to pick up one seat and take power in the Senate.
Among other issues, GOP candidates in Maine are running on frustration with the state’s health care reform, championed by the Democratic governor. Shortfalls in the program spurred new taxes on beer, wine and soft drinks. The tax increase passed 18-17, with majority Democrats and minority Republicans voting in blocs.
“We have a formula that works, which is local race, local issues. Stay completely away from this nationalization of the races,” said Roy Lenardson, a political consultant for Republican candidates. That seems wise, considering that recent Maine polls put the Democratic presidential ticket ahead by an average 16 percentage points, according to realclearpolitics.com.
“This notion of the Obama rain washing in all the Democrats, I think that’s a secret fear,” he said. “On the other hand … this notion that Maine is a down-ticket place, where once you pick Obama you go down the ballot — no.”
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
By ROBERT TANNER
AP National Writer
Political control of several key state legislatures could change hands on Election Day, raising the chance for one-party domination of swing states Michigan and Pennsylvania, booming Nevada and Northeast giant New York.
Democrats are cautiously optimistic that enthusiasm and turnout for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign will help their candidates far down the ticket. Republicans hope to steer clear of the national mood that has turned against the GOP and focus instead on local issues.
Though state legislative races draw far less attention than contests for the White House, Congress and governor, the party that controls the legislatures has an outsized role nationally — crafting domestic policy, drawing congressional districts and laying the foundation for political stars in the future.
Obama himself is only four years removed from a stint in the Illinois Legislature. Democratic control there first gave him the spotlight and the chance to pass legislation that he often cites on the campaign trail.
Nationally, Democrats already hold their strongest majority in more than a decade, controlling the legislatures in 23 states. Republicans dominate in 14 states. Twelve states are split, and Nebraska is nonpartisan.
In some ways, Democrats are suffering from too much of a good thing: The party’s victories since 2004 eroded GOP gains from the 1990s but made it that much harder to find opportunities for growth now.
“We’re doing a little more defense than we have, and a little less offense,” said Iowa Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal, chairman of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, a national group that has raised more than $6 million to spend on legislative races in the past two years.
Republicans see cause for hope, though they make a point to avoid national issues because polls show widespread dissatisfaction with President Bush and Republicans in Congress.
“You certainly can’t omit or be unaware of the national environment. But if you run your race on local issues, you can separate yourself very easily,” said Carrie Cantrell with the Republican State Leadership Committee, which provides cash and other resources to help win legislative seats.
Forty-four states will hold legislative elections next month, with 5,824 seats — or 79 percent of all legislative seats — before the voters.
“In an environment that seems to favor Democrats across the board in 2008, legislatures could deliver a bright spot for Republicans,” said Tim Storey, an elections expert at the National Conference of State Legislatures. “If Democrats do gain seats, it will truly reflect a landslide by the party and would really be an indicator of this turnout machine.”
Among the most closely watched states:
— New York, where Democrats are only two seats away from a majority in the state Senate. If they win, it would be the first time Democrats have held all three decision-making parts of government — governor, Assembly and Senate — since 1935.
— Pennsylvania, where Republicans need only to pick up one seat to take back control of the House and dominate the entire Legislature.
— Montana, where control could flip either way or remain split. Democrats lead the Senate with a two-seat margin, while Republicans hold the House by just one seat.
Other states where one party could take control include Delaware, Indiana, Michigan and Oklahoma. Democrats also see opportunities to gain power in the Ohio House and Wisconsin Assembly.
In New York, Senate Democratic leader Malcolm Smith said Obama is having a “tremendous impact” on the effort to gain two seats and take power, citing voter registration and Democratic enthusiasm in four critical districts. “This is our best chance,” he said.
The interest spreads beyond state lines. For instance, national groups that advocate for gay rights and their supporters have contributed money to the state Senate effort. Both the Assembly and Democratic Gov. David Paterson have expressed support for same-sex marriage.
In conservative Texas, Republicans hold the Legislature and all statewide offices, and polls show strong support for John McCain. But Democrats say their candidates are doing well, and there is a chance to win the House.
These contests also attract national attention and cash because of the power state legislatures have to redraw the maps of Congress. Though redistricting won’t begin in earnest until after the 2010 Census, when population changes require new congressional lines, maneuvering has already begun.
Gronstal said he has already been in “very serious discussions” with Democratic leaders in Congress about which states should be targeted now and in the 2010 election for redistricting purposes. “I describe it as who gets to get the crayons to draw the lines.”
In New England, every state legislature is now in Democratic hands. But in Maine, Republicans see a chance to pick up one seat and take power in the Senate.
Among other issues, GOP candidates in Maine are running on frustration with the state’s health care reform, championed by the Democratic governor. Shortfalls in the program spurred new taxes on beer, wine and soft drinks. The tax increase passed 18-17, with majority Democrats and minority Republicans voting in blocs.
“We have a formula that works, which is local race, local issues. Stay completely away from this nationalization of the races,” said Roy Lenardson, a political consultant for Republican candidates. That seems wise, considering that recent Maine polls put the Democratic presidential ticket ahead by an average 16 percentage points, according to realclearpolitics.com.
“This notion of the Obama rain washing in all the Democrats, I think that’s a secret fear,” he said. “On the other hand … this notion that Maine is a down-ticket place, where once you pick Obama you go down the ballot — no.”
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
The Milwaukee Journal Set to Endorse Obama
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel endorsed Obama in an editorial set for publication on Oct. 26:
Obama’s vision and potential to be that change agent trump his relative lack of experience, though the experience he possesses is valuable. The maturity and calm demeanor he has exhibited these past two years in the public spotlight and earlier, speak to able, careful, inclusive leadership. And he is simply the better of the two on the issues. …
McCain, an early supporter of the invasion, was later a critic of how the war was being waged, supporting a surge that Obama opposed. But McCain now fails to recognize that Americans want something different than his open-ended approach. …
And he also has squandered his claim to one of his supposed assets — his experience, as a military man and member of Congress for 26 years. Simply, he has displayed deplorable judgment in key instances that call into question the value of his overall judgment.
In Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the 72-year-old candidate with a history of melanoma picked a woefully unqualified running mate — as she continues to prove day after day. And both he and she have conducted a campaign that has careened from inept to offensive.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
Obama’s vision and potential to be that change agent trump his relative lack of experience, though the experience he possesses is valuable. The maturity and calm demeanor he has exhibited these past two years in the public spotlight and earlier, speak to able, careful, inclusive leadership. And he is simply the better of the two on the issues. …
McCain, an early supporter of the invasion, was later a critic of how the war was being waged, supporting a surge that Obama opposed. But McCain now fails to recognize that Americans want something different than his open-ended approach. …
And he also has squandered his claim to one of his supposed assets — his experience, as a military man and member of Congress for 26 years. Simply, he has displayed deplorable judgment in key instances that call into question the value of his overall judgment.
In Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the 72-year-old candidate with a history of melanoma picked a woefully unqualified running mate — as she continues to prove day after day. And both he and she have conducted a campaign that has careened from inept to offensive.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
The Stevens Point Journal Endorses Obama
Date: 10/24/2008
The Stevens Point (Wis.) Journal endorsed Obama on Friday:
“This is a unique time in the history of United States of America, one that presents tough challenges, and that’s why Barack Obama is our choice for president.
Obama, the Democratic senator from Illinois, is the candidate who will allow us to present a new face to the world, one that will regain a respect we have lost in recent history. Seeing this man of mixed race who spent part of his youth in Hawaii and Indonesia as our leader could go a long way toward healing some of those wounds.”
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
The Stevens Point (Wis.) Journal endorsed Obama on Friday:
“This is a unique time in the history of United States of America, one that presents tough challenges, and that’s why Barack Obama is our choice for president.
Obama, the Democratic senator from Illinois, is the candidate who will allow us to present a new face to the world, one that will regain a respect we have lost in recent history. Seeing this man of mixed race who spent part of his youth in Hawaii and Indonesia as our leader could go a long way toward healing some of those wounds.”
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
Judge tosses Wis. AG’s suit demanding voter checks
Date: 10/23/2008 4:17 PM
By TODD RICHMOND
Associated Press Writer
MADISON, Wis. (AP) _ A judge on Thursday threw out a lawsuit by Wisconsin’s attorney general demanding that state elections officials confirm hundreds of thousands of voters’ identities before Election Day.
Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi ruled that neither federal nor state law makes the checks Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen seeks a condition for voting. She said Van Hollen has no standing to sue and should have made a complaint to the state Government Accountability Board rather than going to court.
Van Hollen spokesman Kevin St. John said the state Department of Justice plans to appeal, perhaps directly to the state Supreme Court. The agency will continue to pursue the case beyond Election Day if it must because an accurate list of registered voters is crucial to future elections, he said.
“The attorney general believes that he has the ability and the authority, even the duty, to enforce state election law in state court,” St. John said.
Van Hollen, a Republican and co-chair of GOP presidential candidate John McCain’s Wisconsin campaign, argued that the federal Help America Vote Act requires the accountability board to check the names of everyone registered to vote since Jan. 1, 2006, against driver’s license and Social Security data and remove any ineligible voters from the rolls.
The state Republican Party joined the lawsuit, asking that any non-matches be red-flagged as needing identification at the polls.
The board says it couldn’t get its cross-check software online until August, when preliminary runs revealed a 22 percent non-match rate. Most of those non-matches resulted from typos or other innocuous differences between the databases, board staff said.
The board ordered local election clerks to cross-check only voters who register from Aug. 6 onward and let non-matches vote without consequence.
The board argued, and the judge agreed, that the Help America Vote Act doesn’t say what states should do with anyone whose information doesn’t match.
Sumi said the board used the discretionary power it was granted by the Legislature when it decided to impose checks on only new registrants. She said only the U.S. attorney general can bring a court order to enforce HAVA, and that anyone else with a complaint, including Van Hollen and the state GOP, must make an administrative appeal directly to state elections officials.
Government Accountability Board attorney Lester Pines said Sumi was “exactly correct on every single point.”
Wisconsin Republican Party chairman Reince Priebus called the ruling disappointing. He said it raises the possibility that Wisconsin won’t have a fair election.
“It’s looking worse by the minute, I guess,” Priebus said.
State Democratic Party Chairman Joe Wineke called Sumi’s decision strong.
“What are you going to appeal?” he said. “Appeal to the Republican base, I guess.”
Democrats have accused Van Hollen and Republicans of trying to disenfranchise voters and keep turnout low. St. John has repeatedly denied any partisan motivation, saying the attorney general wants only to enforce the law. Republicans have said they are trying to protect the integrity of the election.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
By TODD RICHMOND
Associated Press Writer
MADISON, Wis. (AP) _ A judge on Thursday threw out a lawsuit by Wisconsin’s attorney general demanding that state elections officials confirm hundreds of thousands of voters’ identities before Election Day.
Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi ruled that neither federal nor state law makes the checks Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen seeks a condition for voting. She said Van Hollen has no standing to sue and should have made a complaint to the state Government Accountability Board rather than going to court.
Van Hollen spokesman Kevin St. John said the state Department of Justice plans to appeal, perhaps directly to the state Supreme Court. The agency will continue to pursue the case beyond Election Day if it must because an accurate list of registered voters is crucial to future elections, he said.
“The attorney general believes that he has the ability and the authority, even the duty, to enforce state election law in state court,” St. John said.
Van Hollen, a Republican and co-chair of GOP presidential candidate John McCain’s Wisconsin campaign, argued that the federal Help America Vote Act requires the accountability board to check the names of everyone registered to vote since Jan. 1, 2006, against driver’s license and Social Security data and remove any ineligible voters from the rolls.
The state Republican Party joined the lawsuit, asking that any non-matches be red-flagged as needing identification at the polls.
The board says it couldn’t get its cross-check software online until August, when preliminary runs revealed a 22 percent non-match rate. Most of those non-matches resulted from typos or other innocuous differences between the databases, board staff said.
The board ordered local election clerks to cross-check only voters who register from Aug. 6 onward and let non-matches vote without consequence.
The board argued, and the judge agreed, that the Help America Vote Act doesn’t say what states should do with anyone whose information doesn’t match.
Sumi said the board used the discretionary power it was granted by the Legislature when it decided to impose checks on only new registrants. She said only the U.S. attorney general can bring a court order to enforce HAVA, and that anyone else with a complaint, including Van Hollen and the state GOP, must make an administrative appeal directly to state elections officials.
Government Accountability Board attorney Lester Pines said Sumi was “exactly correct on every single point.”
Wisconsin Republican Party chairman Reince Priebus called the ruling disappointing. He said it raises the possibility that Wisconsin won’t have a fair election.
“It’s looking worse by the minute, I guess,” Priebus said.
State Democratic Party Chairman Joe Wineke called Sumi’s decision strong.
“What are you going to appeal?” he said. “Appeal to the Republican base, I guess.”
Democrats have accused Van Hollen and Republicans of trying to disenfranchise voters and keep turnout low. St. John has repeatedly denied any partisan motivation, saying the attorney general wants only to enforce the law. Republicans have said they are trying to protect the integrity of the election.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.