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Who can work Wisconsin's elections? New restrictions won't affect much, attorney general says

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Who can work Wisconsin's elections? New restrictions won't affect much, attorney general says


MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A new constitutional amendment restricting who can work on Wisconsin elections should have little practical effect, according to a legal opinion issued by Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul on Tuesday.

Wisconsin voters approved a constitutional amendment in April that says only lawfully designated election officials can perform any work on primaries, elections and referendums.

It’s unclear how the amendment might change current practices beyond placing definitions about election officials, which are already in state law, into the constitution.

Dane County Corporation Counsel Carlos Pabellon asked Kaul weeks after the amendment was approved for a legal opinion on the definition of a lawful election official. Pabellon pointed out that parts of state law define them as special deputies who help nursing home residents vote, election inspectors and tabulators while other sections say they’re anyone charged with any duties relating to an election.

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He questioned whether county and municipal clerks and their staffs remain election officials under the amendment. He also asked whether third-party vendors such as ballot printers could work with election officials since the amendment states only lawfully-designated election officials can do any election work.

Kaul wrote that the amendment doesn’t change the definition of a lawfully designated election official so the multiple definitions in state law remain viable. The amendment also doesn’t negate state laws empowering clerks and other election officials to run elections, he said.

What to know about the 2024 Election

The attorney general went on to say that the amendment doesn’t require election work to be performed only by election officials. Essentially, the amendment mandates that only lawfully designated election officials can control election administration, he wrote.

Kaul noted that Republican lawmakers drafted the amendment in reaction to grant money that came into Wisconsin in 2020 from the Center for Tech and Civic Life, a liberal group that promotes voter access. That year the group received a $300 million donation from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife to help election officials buy supplies and run elections at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic

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Wisconsin’s five largest cities, which President Joe Biden went on to win, received $8.8 million, sparking outrage from Republicans. They accused Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich of ceding authority for running the election to a paid consultant who had worked on Democratic campaigns in the past. Green Bay city attorneys said the claims lacked merit.





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Did a Wisconsin tax rebate proposal exclude about 30% of filers?

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Did a Wisconsin tax rebate proposal exclude about 30% of filers?


Yes

A deal between Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Republican legislative leaders to give Wisconsin income tax filers a rebate would have excluded about 30% of filers.

That’s because the deal provided rebates up to $300 for individuals and $600 for married joint filers only to residents who paid state income taxes for 2024.

The deal, which failed to pass in the state Senate, also reduced property taxes, increased funding for schools and ended taxes on tips and some overtime pay.

According to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, about 2.1 million residents would have received the rebates. Based on that and the U.S. Census estimates, 55% of adults would not be eligible for tax rebates based on not having owed taxes or because they did not file a return. Of those who filed, about 26% were not eligible for a rebate, LFB estimated.

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This fact brief responds to conversations like this one.

Sources

Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau, Estimated Distribution of Individual Income Tax Rebate under May 2026 Special Session LRB-6707 and LRB-6710 (“the bill”), 

U.S. Census, Age and Sex  

Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Individual Income Tax – Filing Requirements 

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel collaborated with Wisconsin Watch to develop this fact brief. Wisconsin Watch is a member of the Gigafact program, newsrooms across the U.S. that deliver bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read more about our methodology at jsonline.com/FactBriefMethods.

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Statewide alert sent for 69-year-old woman missing from Stoughton

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Statewide alert sent for 69-year-old woman missing from Stoughton


MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – Wisconsin officials sent out a statewide alert Monday for a missing 69-year-old woman who was last seen on Friday in Stoughton.

Authorities said the family of Pamela Mael last spoke to her around 5:30 p.m. on Friday, May 22.

Mael was last seen in the 800 block of West Main Street, in Stoughton, Wisconsin Department of Justice said in the Silver Alert.

Pamela Mael is missing from Stoughton, a statewide Silver Alert said Monday.(Wisconsin Department of Justice)

Her family members told the Stoughton Police Department that she has potentially declined cognitively and has been sick for the last two months.

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The alert noted Mael’s vehicle was last seen around 3 p.m. Sunday heading south on Highway 14, near Highway 92, outside of Brooklyn. Mael drives a 2005 red Toyota Camry with license plate number AUA5536.

Pamela Mael is missing from Stoughton, a statewide Silver Alert said Monday.
Pamela Mael is missing from Stoughton, a statewide Silver Alert said Monday.(Wisconsin Department of Justice)

On the driver’s side rear window of Mael’s car, she has a red bear paw sticker that says Ho-Chunk.

Police described Mael as being 5-feet-3-inches tall, weighing about 112 pounds and having brown eyes and brown hair.

Pamela Mael is missing from Stoughton, a statewide Silver Alert said Monday.
Pamela Mael is missing from Stoughton, a statewide Silver Alert said Monday.(Wisconsin Department of Justice)

Mael has tattoos that are colored black, white or red. The Silver Alert said she has a dream catcher tattoo on her right upper arm, a flower on her left shoulder, a wolf howling at the moon on her left calf, a pair of dice on her left foot and an infinity sign with the names Zachary and Shelby on her left forearm.

Anyone who sees her was asked to call the Stoughton Police Department at 608-873-3374.

Click here to download the WMTV15 News app or our WMTV15 First Alert weather app.

Copyright 2026 WMTV. All rights reserved.

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2026 FIFA World Cup pictures: Look Who Kicks in southeast Wisconsin

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2026 FIFA World Cup pictures: Look Who Kicks in southeast Wisconsin


Soccer fans, this is your shot! The 2026 FIFA World Cup is around the corner. While you can catch all the action on FOX6, we also want to highlight our soccer stars here at home.

Look Who Kicks!

What you can do:

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We want you to upload a picture of you or your child showing their soccer spirit as part of our Look Who Kicks segments. It could be a picture from the pitch, maybe a fun moment in the stands at a soccer game, or share a snapshot of you in your soccer fan cave!

IMPORTANT: Make sure the picture you share is one you or someone you know snapped. Professional photos will not be accepted. 

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What’s next:

Once the 2026 FIFA World Cup is underway, check out Look Who Kicks every weekday morning during the 8 a.m. hour of FOX6 WakeUp News. 

The Source: Look Who Kicks is a promotion by FOX6.

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FIFA World CupFOX 6 WakeUp NewsSportsMilwaukee



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