Wisconsin Republicans sue state election overseer over 'confusing’ ballot

Nov. 6, 2012: People stand in line to vote during the U.S. presidential election in Janesville, Wisconsin. (REUTERS)

Wisconsin’s campaign finance and election law regulator is being accused of “either blatant partisanship or sheer incompetence” in a complaint filed Wednesday by top Republicans who demand the Government Accountability Board improve the “deeply flawed and confusing” standard ballot for November’s general election.

In a 22-page complaint, the Republican Party of Wisconsin — through Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, and state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau — claims a new ballot design will create confusion at the polls.

In addition to no clear demarcation between each office and the first candidate, the GAB’s standard ballot design doesn’t clearly separate each office from the previous office’s candidates, which will dilute voter intent by increasing the number of under-votes, the GOP asserts in a statement.

With less than two months to go before the election, including the hotly contested gubernatorial election, the Republicans are calling on the accountability board to “reverse course and produce a sample ballot that conforms to the standards adopted for numerous prior elections,” including last month’s partisan primary election.

“As a result of either blatant partisanship or sheer incompetence, the GAB has created a standard ballot with inherent flaws that must be corrected immediately,” said Joe Fadness, RPW executive director. “It is a sad day in Wisconsin when we must go to court to fix a problem so obvious and troubling.”

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