Judge upholds election grant to Green Bay, 4 other cities

GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- A federal judge Wednesday denied a bid to stop several cities -- including Green Bay -- from using grant money to help pay for election-related expenses.

The Center for Tech and Civic Life distributed $6.3 million in grants to five cities:

• Milwaukee: $2,154,500
• Madison: $1,271,788
• Green Bay: $1,093,400
• Kenosha: $862,779
• Racine: $942,100

However, the Wisconsin Voters Alliance sued, arguing that only by giving grants to Democratic strongholds, they violate federal election law.

In a three-page ruling, Judge William Griesbach denied the WLA petition for a temporary restraining order.

Plaintiffs have presented at most a policy argument for prohibiting municipalities from accepting funds from private parties to help pay the increased costs of conducting safe and efficient elections. The risk of skewing an election by providing additional private funding for conducting the election in certain areas of the State may be real. The record before the Court, however, does not provide the support needed for the Court to make such a determination, especially in light of the fact that over 100 additional Wisconsin municipalities received grants as well. These are all matters that may merit a legislative response but the Court finds nothing in the statutes Plaintiffs cite, either directly or indirectly, that can be fairly construed as prohibiting the defendant Cities from accepting funds from CTCL. Absent such a prohibition, the Court lacks the authority to enjoin them from accepting such assistance. To do so would also run afoul of the Supreme Court’s admonition that courts should not change electoral rules close to an election date.

The case remains open. The judge has not ruled on the municipalities' request for the case to be dismissed.

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The Center for Tech and Civic Life released this statement on Wednesday:

As election officials work to serve voters in these final weeks of the 2020 election, their most valuable asset is time. The decision today rejecting the temporary restraining order is a recognition that these lawsuits are frivolous, peddle misinformation, and waste election officials’ time at the voter’s expense.

As a non-partisan organization backed by Democrats, Republicans, and nonpartisan officials, we look forward to continuing this critical grant program in these unprecedented times so that voters can participate in this election and remain safe and healthy.

To date, more than 2,300 election departments across the country have requested and received CTCL COVID-19 Response Grants. All local election offices responsible for administering election activities covered by the CTCL COVID-19 Response grant program are eligible to apply for grant funds. Every eligible election department that is verified as legitimate will be approved for a grant. The minimum CTCL COVID-19 Response Grant amount awarded is $5,000.