AFPI Puts Wisconsin Election Commission, Local Officials On Notice About Polling-Place Gerrymandering; Demands End To Partisan Practice

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February 27, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the America First Policy Institute’s (AFPI) Center for Litigation sent letters to the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) and local officials in Madison, La Crosse, and Oshkosh, Wisconsin, calling for an end to early-voting poll-location gerrymandering.

“This practice violates a Wisconsin law prohibiting elections officials from holding early voting in locations which afford an advantage to any political party,” said Attorney Nicholas Wanic of AFPI’s Center for Litigation.

The letters warn these cities that early-voting locations announced for Wisconsin’s upcoming election disproportionately favor Democrat candidates by significantly overrepresenting Democrat voters in those communities. The letters ask that local elections officials instead select early voting locations that do not provide a partisan advantage.

“Wisconsin law is clear: Early-voting locations cannot be used to cherry-pick votes for a particular party,” said Wanic. “The data shows officials in these cities have disregarded the law and are engaged in poll-location gerrymandering that gives a significant advantage to Democrat candidates.”

WEC was also notified of these issues. A letter sent to the WEC Administrator detailed the agency’s oversight responsibilities and asked that the commission fulfill its investigative responsibilities to correct these violations of Wisconsin law.

“The Wisconsin Elections Commission has a legal and ethical obligation to administer fair elections,” said Wanic. “If the Commission fails to act, it will be complicit in undermining election integrity and the trust of Wisconsin voters.”

According to the Wisconsin law, “The privilege of voting by absentee ballot must be carefully regulated . . . to prevent overzealous solicitation of absent electors.” AFPI reviewed voting data for planned early voting sites, which shows officials in these cities disregarded the law and are engaged in poll-location gerrymandering, which gives a significant advantage to Democrat candidates.

Of the designated early voting sites in Madison, La Crosse, and Oshkosh, many are on or adjacent to college campuses — areas that have historically leaned Democrat relative to the rest of their cities. Among the voting districts that will host early voting on April 1, a large majority have significantly overrepresented Democrat voters in recent elections.

AFPI will continue to monitor election procedures in Wisconsin and across the country to ensure that every voter, regardless of political affiliation, has fair and equal access to the ballot box.

You can read the full letters here.