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FACT BRIEF

Has Ron Johnson proposed disbanding the Wisconsin Election Commission?

By Jacob Alabab-Moser
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YES

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson has expressed support for Wisconsin lawmakers taking control over federal elections from the bipartisan-run Wisconsin Elections Commission, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. "The state Legislature has to reassert, reclaim this authority over our election system," Johnson said in 2021.

Republicans who control the state Legislature introduced a bill in January 2022 proposing to dissolve the WEC and grant the secretary of state, a partisan elected officer, control over elections. Currently, the commission is led by a nonpartisan administrator and a six-member board of three Republican and three Democratic appointees.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels also has called for the WEC to be disbanded. In 2015, the Republican-run Legislature voted to form the Wisconsin Elections Commission as a solution to what the GOP saw as the previous elections agency's bias against members of its party.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Ron Johnson calls for having Republican lawmakers take over federal elections in Wisconsin
WISN Sen. Ron Johnson: 'Up to the judicial system' on if elections officials are criminally charged
Tim Michels Tweet proposing the disbandment of the Wisconsin Elections Commission
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Republicans running for governor are short of specifics when it comes to overhauling Wisconsin elections
WEAU News WI lawmakers expected to take up GOP bill that seeks to dissolve WI Elections Commission
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.