This week, our work is being showcased on the national stage. Our very own Dr. Will Flanders, WILL’s Research Director, testified in front of the House Committee on Administration about the perils of privately funding election administration—and the significant impact on elections such spending can have. 

Often called “Zuckerbucks,” the Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL) funneled millions of dollars to privately fund election administration in 2020. This funding went disproportionately to Democratic areas in Wisconsin. Our research estimated that this funding was correlated with more than 8,000 additional votes for Joe Biden across the state. 

Flanders also discussed one of WILL’s recent legal victories in Racine. A judge ruled that state law does not permit mobile absentee voting sites or so-called “voter vans.” They were used in the 2022 election and cannot be again. This van was funded with grants from CTCL.

The issues come back to the concept of fairness, and an equal application of the law to every American regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum. Unfair election practices only serve to undermine that faith, and lend credibility to those who put forth less defensible claims of election fraud.  

WILL stands to defend America’s interest that those on both sides of the aisle have their faith restored in our electoral process.