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State Rep. Scott Krug emerges as GOP’s voice of pragmatism on Wisconsin election policy

Reposted by Alexander Shur

Jim Malewitz @jmalewitz.bsky.social · 14d

“I don’t give a shit about getting my head kicked in by both sides.”

GOP Rep. Scott Krug hopes to quiet conspiracy theories and rebuild public faith in elections — even if his proposals don’t make it.

Great profile from @alexandershur.bsky.social wisconsinwatch.org/2025/09/wisc...

Veteran lawmaker hopes to quiet the conspiracy theories and rebuild public faith — even if his proposals don’t make it.

wisconsinwatch.org

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Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · 20d

The bill also includes regulations for drop boxes and witness address requirements. Rep. Scott Krug said he's confident the proposal can get the GOP support it lacked and get signed

LINK:
www.votebeat.org/wisconsin/20...

Wisconsin bill would let election officials start processing absentee ballots a day early

Lawmakers hope to unite on a proposal that would speed up election results and reduce opportunities for misinformation.

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · 20d

NEW: For years, Wisconsin election officials' top legislative priority have been lobbying for a bill to process absentee ballots beginning on the Monday before an election.

Votebeat got an early look at this year's version of the bill (cont.)

Help us with a project: Vote for Votebeat’s new pet mascot

Reposted by Alexander Shur

Carrie Levine @levinecarrie.bsky.social · Sep 5

Calling all pet people who care about voting! www.votebeat.org/2025/09/04/v...

Votebeat is working on a project that illustrates and explains how ranked choice voting works, so we decided to ask readers to vote.

Help us with a project: Vote for Votebeat’s new pet mascot

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · Sep 4

There’s a rare but critical inaccuracy in Jessica’s post. We do want to know who our pet mascot should be, we are exploring ranked choice voting. But you must first and foremost vote for Samson*

Jessica Huseman @jessicahuseman.bsky.social · Sep 4

@votebeat.org wants to know who our PET MASCOT should be. And guess what, WE ARE DOING RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

Find out what ranked choice voting even is, and also vote for Walter here ty: www.votebeat.org/2025/09/04/v...

Votebeat is working on a project that illustrates and explains how ranked choice voting works, so we decided to ask readers to vote.

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · Aug 28

It’ll never top Four Lokos

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · Jul 28

But in speaking with election officials, I learned that many of them are reluctant to use a commercial e-pollbook that connects to the internet (just about all commercial options do, at some point).

Security experts less concerned w/ connectivity

Latest: www.votebeat.org/wisconsin/20...

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · Jul 28

Last month, I reported on how Wisconsin election officials wanted weren't completely satisfied with the state's in-house e-pollbook, Badger Book. Wisconsin Elections Commission formed a work group to learn about other options. (1/2)

As ballots sat uncounted, Madison clerk prepped for ‘cookie extravaganza’

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · Jul 18

NEW: Madison clerk was on a cookie-baking staycation as missing-ballot mess unfolded

www.votebeat.org/wisconsin/20...

Records obtained by Votebeat help explain what Maribeth Witzel-Behl was up to when the crisis erupted in her office: a baking staycation.

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · Jul 18

Witzel-Behl took off parts of or the entirety of 17 vacation days between Nov. 11 and Dec. 6, records show. She claims to have learned about the second batch of ballots on Dec. 10.

That same day, she told staff she was renting city cars for them to assist w/ cookie deliveries

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · Jul 18

🧵NEW: WEC appointees yesterday questioned why the former Madison clerk was absent as 193 ballots were missing.

Records obtained by Votebeat show she was having a baking "staycation" amid the snafu, and when she returned to work she had staff deliver cookies around the city

Wisconsin report on missing ballots spotlights Dane County storage site

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · Jul 16

I tried to find more detail and got records of two incidents, neither close to Election Day. Dane County says the facility will be completely transformed inside before it officially opens in 2027

www.votebeat.org/wisconsin/20...

The facility was at one point used as used by an “unauthorized” person for shelter, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission’s latest report into the ballot snafu.

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · Jul 16

The WEC report into the missing Madison ballots (vaguely) spotlighted security issues at the Dane County-owned facility where the city stored election materials -- and, inadvertently, uncounted ballots. (1/2)

Wisconsin town must have accessible voting machines, federal court rules

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · Jul 16

Thornapple, Wisconsin, loses federal appeal over its ban on electronic voting machines. Appeals court said going without one causes irreperable harm

www.votebeat.org/wisconsin/20...

Trump’s Justice Department has forged ahead in this case even as it has withdrawn from several other voting lawsuits brought under the Biden administration.

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · Jul 16

The U.S. DOJ under Trump withdrew from several voting cases that Biden launched nationwide. Not so in Wisconsin, where it's still pursuing a case against a town that disavowed electronic voting machines.

On Monday, an appeals court ruled in favor of the DOJ (1/2)

Wisconsin bill to help voters understand ballot questions has flaws, critics say

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · Jun 16

Wisconsin proposal to require simple explanations of ballot questions needs work, critics say

www.votebeat.org/wisconsin/20...

The key to any plain-language requirement is user testing, an expert says — giving drafts to readers and checking whether they understand them as intended. The Wisconsin proposal doesn’t do that.

U.S. threatens Arizona and Wisconsin over alleged election law violations

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · Jun 5

I wrote about what the DOJ's letter to Wisconsin over an alleged HAVA violation means, including commentary that WEC likely is violating the law. Story features a @jenafifield.bsky.social scoop of a DOJ letter also sent to Arizona

www.votebeat.org/wisconsin/20...

The letters are an early sign of how the Trump’s administration is scrutinizing state election practices after his executive order on elections.

Wisconsin bill could push more election disputes into the court system

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Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · Jun 4

Conservatives and some liberals opposed the Wisconsin Supreme Court's decision to limit who can appeal WEC administrative complaints to court. But they can't agree on how to expand standing again, and clerks fear an onslaught of lawsuits:
www.votebeat.org/wisconsin/20...

The GOP-backed bill would allow more Wisconsin residents to challenge rulings by the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Clerks are worried that it could lead to harassment and more litigation.

Wisconsin clerks back GOP proposal to expand early voting, but want some tweaks

Reposted by Alexander Shur

Carrie Levine @levinecarrie.bsky.social · May 28

🚨Two important new voting stories out of Texas this morning and up @votebeat.org, both urgent and important. 🧵

To start, Texas' bid to pass a citizenship proof requirement for voters appears likely dead this legislative session - it missed a key House deadline Tuesday.

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Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · May 27

Read more about the bill and the tweaks that its authors might make here:

Wisconsin election officials seek more flexibility in proposed early-voting mandate

www.votebeat.org/wisconsin/20...

Clerks say it doesn’t make sense to require 20 hours of in-person voting in towns that have only a few dozen voters.

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · May 27

I spoke to the clerk in the Village of Yuba, which has only 43 registered voters.

Even if every voter in the village cast a ballot early, the total time required wouldn’t come close to 20 hours. “For us, it makes no sense,” the clerk said.

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · May 27

20 hours of early voting is a fraction of the time that cities like Madison and Milwaukee offer. And it would make sense in communities with a couple thousand voters. But what about WI's very small towns?

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · May 27

🧵Wisconsin Republicans are seeking to require every municipality to offer at least 20 hours of early in-person voting, compensating local communities that launch early voting

It's a big step forward for local election funding, but clerks say there are some issues w/ the bill

Wisconsin towns facing election worker shortages seek new way to appoint clerks

Alexander Shur @alexandershur.bsky.social · May 5

Check this link for some colorful anecdotes from the Town of Texas, where a clerk wasn't able to retire for years bc nobody would replace her; the Town of Wausau, which went months w/o a clerk; and the tales of one person who's the clerk of two towns.
www.votebeat.org/wisconsin/20...

Wisconsin lawmakers want to streamline the process for towns to select new clerks, as some municipalities go months — or longer — without a clerk in office.