Citizens Election Research Center

All posts by Jody Weierholt

The Federalist – Article: Dark Money-Fueled Group Strategizes to Target Dem Voting Blocs

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Article: Inside one dark money-fueled group’s strategy session to “reshape the electorate in as many states as possible”

In 2015, the Wyss Foundation — a project of Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss — put forth a plan to “fundamentally change the composition of the [American] electorate” in a way that another leaked memo indicated would help “achieve the foundation’s policy goals.” Last week, one of the organizations the Wyss Foundation channels money to held a conference plotting how to do just that.

The Wyss Foundation’s plan, mapped to run from 2015 to 2020 and projected to cost $105 million to $210 million, aimed to “reshape the electorate in as many states as possible” by expanding voter registration. A follow-up memo indicated these efforts would be directed at “low-income populations who tend to be reliably progressive” such as “[u]nmarried women, youth, and people of color.”

At its 15th annual State Summit in Washington, D.C., last week, left-wing nonprofit America Votes brought together public officials and activists to strategize about reaching just such voters. The conference included discussions about how to “create more lifelong voters” from a “diverse coalition” that, based on the conference topics, includes college students, pro-abortion voters, anti-Second Amendment activists, LGBT activists, racial minorities, and “progressive Christians.”

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Newsmax – Article: After Wisconsin Vote, RNC Likely to Launch War on ‘Zuckerbucks’

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Article: Wisconsin voters resoundingly elected to ban out-of-state election interference

Wisconsin voters resoundingly elected to ban out-of-state election interference with vote counting Tuesday.

Barely 24 hours later, Newsmax learned that members of the Republican National Committee were discussing launching a movement nationwide to eradicate the influence of outside money in election administration such as that deployed by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in 2020.

With nearly all votes counted, 54% of Badger State voters supported Question 1 to ban all private funding of elections. An even larger number of voters (58%) voted to enact Question 2 to restrict the administration of elections “to only election officials designated by law.”

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Wisconsin – Illinois Review – Article: Zuckerbucks’ No More: How Wisconsin Voters Took Back Their Elections

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Article: WI voters draw a clear line in the sand against the intrusion of private funds in the electoral process

In a resolute move that underscores the spirit of American democracy, voters in Wisconsin have emphatically endorsed two constitutional amendments that draw a clear line in the sand against the intrusion of private funds in the electoral process. This decision marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing struggle to preserve the sanctity of the vote, an issue that has sparked widespread concern over the influence of billionaire donors like Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, colloquially dubbed “Zuckerbucks,” on the integrity of elections.

The approval of these amendments is not merely a local affair but a resounding message to the nation: Wisconsin insists that its elections are for its voters, not for the highest bidder or out-of-state billionaires looking to tip the scales. This development is a testament to the foresight and diligence of Republican lawmakers who, recognizing the potential for abuse and manipulation, sought to enshrine these protections within the bedrock of the state constitution.

At the heart of this landmark decision is a fundamental question about the role of money in our electoral system and the potential for it to undermine the democratic process. Critics of private election funding, including prominent figures from conservative think tanks such as the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, argue that the infusion of vast sums of money by entities like the Center for Tech and Civic Life, under the guise of voter access and education, disproportionately benefits Democratic strongholds, thereby skewing the electoral landscape.

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Wisconsin – The Cap Times – Article: Madison Spent Private Election Funds Before Amendment Banned Them

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Article: The City of Madison had already spent $1.5 million in private grant funding for new election equipment before Wisconsin voters approved a ban on such money for local governments.

The city of Madison had already spent $1.5 million in private grant funding for new election equipment before Wisconsin voters approved a ban on such money for local governments.

Voters resoundingly approved two state constitutional amendments April 2 that would ban not just the private grant funding but also restrict who can be involved in administering elections in Wisconsin. 

Statewide, voters in all but nine counties moved to approve the ban on private election funding. One of the nine was Dane County, where residents voted over 2-to-1 to reject the amendment. 

The second amendment, which restricted election administration to only “election officials designated by law,” gained somewhat more widespread support.

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Wisconsin- WKOW – Article: USAEE Grant Money Used to Develop New Polling Signs

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Article: Through a project with the USAEE, the City Clerk’s Office worked with CTCL to develop new polling signs.

MADISON (WKOW) — As voters head to the polls Tuesday, they’ll find new signs with multiple languages to help direct them to their polling place.

The new signs contain English, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Hmong, and an icon, according to the city of Madison.

Through a project with the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence, the City Clerk’s Office worked with the Center for Civic Design to develop the new signs.

“We want our democracy to be accessible to every eligible voter,” said Mayor Rhodes-Conway in a statement. “It’s important that we are providing voting information in a variety of languages. I appreciate the improvements the Clerk’s Office has made.”

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Wisconsin – Madison: City Uses USAEE Money for New Signs at Polling Places

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Article: Madison, Wisconsin uses USAEE grant money to develop new signs for polling places.

New signs will greet voters as they enter their polling place on Tuesday. The new signs contain English, Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Hmong, and an icon to help voters navigate the polling place.

Through a project with the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence, the City Clerk’s Office worked with the Center for Civic Design to develop the new signs.

“We want our democracy to be accessible to every eligible voter,” said Mayor Rhodes-Conway. “It’s important that we are providing voting information in a variety of languages. I appreciate the improvements the Clerk’s Office has made.”

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Wisconsin – TMJ4 Milwaukee – Article: City Spent Elections Grants Weeks Before Voters Banned Them

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Article: Madison official says city spent elections grants weeks before voters banned them. Election officials concerned about the implications of new constitutional amendments.

MADISON, Wisconsin — Wisconsin voters on Tuesday passed a constitutional amendment to ban private funding for elections.

Just weeks earlier, the city of Madison used most of the nearly $1.5 million in private grant money at its disposal to purchase a new machine to process absentee ballots, according to Mike Haas, the city’s attorney.

Haas, who is also the former head of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, said the proposed constitutional amendments on Tuesday’s ballot were a factor in deciding to use up the money.

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Arizona Legislation Re: Election Funding – 4/24
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Wisconsin Legislation Re: Grants- 4/24
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Missouri – The Federalist – Article: Scotland County Ditches USAEE Membership

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Article: Scotland County, Missouri Becomes Latest Locality To Ditch ‘Zuckbucks 2.0’ Group

Scotland County, Missouri, has exited a left-wing dark-money organization that aims to influence local election administration, The Federalist has learned.

Scotland County Clerk Batina Dodge confirmed to The Federalist that the locality did not renew its membership with the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence for 2024. As The Federalist previously reported, the Alliance is an $80 million venture launched in 2022 by left-wing nonprofits such as the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL) to “systematically influence every aspect of election administration” and advance Democrat-backed voting policies in local election offices.

According to Ballotpedia, Scotland County was one of several localities named as part of the Alliance’s 2023 cohort. Notably, neither Scotland County nor Boone County — another Missouri jurisdiction participating in the Alliance — were included in the coalition’s November 2022 announcement of participating localities.

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