Funding For Expanded Voter Outreach Unclear

Members of the Wisconsin Elections Commission say they’re not sure how the agency will pay for additional voter outreach ordered by a federal judge.

U.S. Western District Judge James Peterson wants the state to do more to inform people about an ID petition process for people lacking the documents needed to get an ID for voting.

Exactly what that outreach program looks like and how much it will cost remains to be seen.

“We don’t have money budgeted for this remedy,” Elections Commission Chairman Mark Thomsen said. “We have money budgeted to run elections up until our budget runs out.”

Peterson ordered both the state and the plaintiffs challenging Wisconsin’s voter ID law to develop outreach plans. They’re due to Peterson by the end of this week.

Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Mike Haas said it was too early to say whether his agency would need to ask the state Legislature for extra funding to pay for the outreach.