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Milwaukee, where COVID's hitting black neighborhoods the hardest, cut its polling places from 180 down to five. Now thousands of voters are forced to wait in hours-long lines while risking their health.
This is the culmination of every dirty trick in the GOP’s playbook.
THREAD.
This is the culmination of every dirty trick in the GOP’s playbook.
THREAD.
After sweeping into power in 2011, the Wisconsin GOP launched a full-fledged gerrymandering campaign, and their new maps worked exactly as intended.
In the 2012 elections, Republicans won 48.6% of the votes, but took 61% of the seats in the legislature.
In the 2012 elections, Republicans won 48.6% of the votes, but took 61% of the seats in the legislature.
Immediately following the GOP takeover of the Wisconsin government, the legislature passed a strict voter-ID law that reduced black and Latino voting, resulting in 200,000 fewer voters in 2016 than in 2012.
For context, Trump won Wisconsin in 2016 by fewer than 23,000 votes.
For context, Trump won Wisconsin in 2016 by fewer than 23,000 votes.
Now the Wisconsin GOP is trying to purge 240,000 more voters (mostly Democrats) from the voter rolls.
The state sent letters to registered voters, largely in districts that voted Democratic in 2016, and argue that those who didn't respond to the letters should be removed.
The state sent letters to registered voters, largely in districts that voted Democratic in 2016, and argue that those who didn't respond to the letters should be removed.
Initially, the WI voter purge was supposed to happen in 2021, but a conservative group sued to remove them earlier and a conservative judge — Paul V. Malloy — ordered it done.
Malloy’s decision has been appealed to the state Supreme Court, which has deadlocked by a vote of 3-3.
Malloy’s decision has been appealed to the state Supreme Court, which has deadlocked by a vote of 3-3.
On today's ballot in Wisconsin is a contest for a seat on the very court that will decide whether to allow the voter purge of predominantly Democratic voters.
The GOP desperately wants to reelect their candidate, Justice Daniel Kelly, who will uphold the purge if he's reelected.
The GOP desperately wants to reelect their candidate, Justice Daniel Kelly, who will uphold the purge if he's reelected.
Before the pandemic, observers thought Kelly’s more liberal opponent had a good chance of unseating him because of expected high turnout among Democrats.
But now, all bets are off, especially since the Dem strongholds are in the cities—where the residents are sheltered in place.
But now, all bets are off, especially since the Dem strongholds are in the cities—where the residents are sheltered in place.
Since Wisconsin's stay-at-home order went into effect on Mar 25, more than a million voters have requested absentee ballots.
But this surge meant the state ran behind and hasn’t been able to deliver the ballots.
The GOP ploy to elect Kelly and secure the voter purge is working.
But this surge meant the state ran behind and hasn’t been able to deliver the ballots.
The GOP ploy to elect Kelly and secure the voter purge is working.
