Wisconsin officials are taking steps to ensure that only eligible citizens are registered to vote in the state. Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney emphasized the need for a robust process to remove noncitizens from voter rolls, highlighting the importance of election integrity.

Current state laws prevent election commissions from cross-referencing their voter rolls with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s records. This means that up to 90,000 legal residents, who are not citizens but can obtain driver’s licenses, may potentially register to vote. Toney, along with other officials, spoke about this concern during a press conference hosted by the John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy, according to Wisconsin Right Now.

The Wisconsin Election Commission recently approved a $2 million budget for an Office of Election Transparency and Compliance, aimed at enhancing election integrity. Republican Congressman Tom Tiffany, representing Wisconsin’s Seventh District, supported these efforts, emphasizing the need to make it “easy to vote but hard to cheat.” Tiffany referred to the SAVE Act, a bill proposed by Rep. Bryan Steil, which mandates states to verify that only citizens are registered voters. Although the bill passed the House, it awaits action in the Senate.

Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt underscored the significance of adhering to election laws. He cited a Supreme Court ruling stating that only voters can place their ballots in drop boxes, an effort to prevent ballot tampering. Schmidt reiterated that election laws must be strictly followed to maintain fair elections.

Toney concluded by calling election integrity a nonpartisan issue, stressing the need for processes that prevent noncitizens from voting while ensuring that every eligible voter has their voice heard.