Statement on Federal Request for Wisconsin Voter Information
"By law, most of the information in Wisconsin’s voter registration system is public and is available for purchase..."
MADISON, WI – Michael Haas, administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC), issued the following statement today regarding the request by the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity for states to provide voter registration and history files:
“By law, most of the information in Wisconsin’s voter registration system is public and is available for purchase, and is commonly purchased by political parties, candidates, researchers and other organizations. A voter’s name, address and voting history are public, and this information has already been provided to campaigns and other requestors who have paid for it. Wisconsin does not collect any information about a voter’s political preference or gender.
“Wisconsin statutes do not permit the state to release a voter’s date of birth, driver license number or Social Security number. State statutes permit the WEC to share confidential information in limited circumstances with law enforcement agencies or agencies of other states. The Presidential Commission does not appear to qualify under either of these categories.
“The WEC does not have the discretion to deny a request for the public information in the voter registration database if the required fee is paid. By administrative rule, the price is $12,500 for the entire statewide voter file, and Wisconsin law does not contain any provision for waiving the fee for voter data.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
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