Wisconsin
Wisconsin voters to decide on banning private money to help fund elections
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin voters are set to decide next month whether to make it unconstitutional to accept private grant money to help administer state elections, one of two Republican-backed ballot measures that Democrats say are meant to make it harder to conduct elections in the presidential battleground state.
The constitutional amendments on the state’s April 2 ballot also include a change to allow only election officials designated by law to administer elections. If a majority of voters approve, the amendments would be added to the state’s constitution.
Early in-person absentee voting is scheduled to begin Tuesday and can be offered through March 31.
Since 2020, Republicans in at least 27 states have outlawed or restricted private elections grants.
The Wisconsin measures are supported by Republicans and conservative groups and opposed by an array of government watchdog and liberal groups including the American Civil Liberties Union, Common Cause Wisconsin, Wisconsin Conservation Voters and the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin.
Not a single Democratic lawmaker voted for the amendment, which is being split into two questions for the April ballot.
The Wisconsin measures stem from false claims made by former President Donald Trump and his supporters that widespread voter fraud tipped the 2020 presidential election in favor of President Joe Biden.
“People need to trust that elections are conducted fairly and impartially,” state Sen. Eric Wimberger, who co-authored the amendments, said in a message posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Wisconsin’s status as a swing state makes election integrity measures important locally, nationally and internationally.”
Opponents say the measures are designed to make it more difficult to run elections.
The amendments specifically address a Republican complaint about grant money that came to Wisconsin in 2020 from the Center for Tech and Civic Life, a liberal group that fights for voter access and is funded by Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan.
The state’s five largest cities, all of which Biden won, received $8.8 million. They were among roughly 200 communities in Wisconsin that received around $10 million as part of $350 million given out nationally to help with the cost of running elections during the COVID-19 pandemic before vaccines were available.
Republicans who dubbed the money “Zuckerbucks” complained the bulk of the funds went to Democratic strongholds and claimed it was an attempt by the billionaire to tip the vote in favor of Democrats.
“In the interest of upholding fairness and safeguarding the integrity of our democratic process, it is essential to maintain a nonpartisan electoral system that is free from external financial influences,” Kyle Koenen, policy director for the conservative law firm Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, testified in support of the measure.
Zuckerberg and Chan have repeatedly said the one-time donation was meant to bolster the election infrastructure at the height of the pandemic to help people vote.
Republicans, who control the Legislature, brought the constitutional amendment in Wisconsin to circumvent Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who almost surely would have vetoed it if the measure had been a regular bill. Amendments are not subject to the governor’s approval.
Three courts and the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission rejected complaints challenging the legality of the grant money.
The other question on the ballot pertaining to who can be a poll worker was broken off from the private money question.
Wisconsin law already explains the requirements to be a poll worker: the people who work as election inspectors and tabulators, greet voters and serve in other roles. For example, any poll worker must be approved by the municipality from a list of nominees submitted by the two major parties, be a qualified voter in the county where the election is taking place, and not be a candidate or related to a candidate on the ballot.
It’s unclear how adoption of the amendment would change current practice, other than place requirements currently in state law into the constitution. That would make the requirements more difficult to change.
Opponents of the amendment worry its adoption may lead to attempts to stifle current practices enhancing voter participation.
Wisconsin voters have approved 148 out of 200 proposed constitutional amendments since the state constitution was adopted in 1848, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau. Since Evers took office, voters have ratified three.
But after the two on the April ballot, more are on the way.
In the August primary, voters will be asked to change the law to give the Legislature a say in how federal money is spent, rather than having the governor decide.
An amendment on the November ballot says only U.S. citizens who are 18 years old or older can vote in elections. The Wisconsin Constitution guarantees every U.S. citizen age 18 and over is a qualified elector. But it does not specifically say only U.S. citizens are qualified to vote in state or local elections.
Federal law already requires U.S. citizenship to vote in national elections and no state constitutions explicitly allow noncitizens to vote in state or local elections.
However, there has been a push for states to specifically make clear that only U.S. citizens can vote in state and local elections. Some cities and towns across the country have allowed noncitizens to vote in local elections.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for Dec. 24, 2024
Manuel Franco claims his $768 million Powerball jackpot
Manuel Franco, 24, of West Allis was revealed Tuesday as the winner of the $768.4 million Powerball jackpot.
Mark Hoffman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 24, 2024, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
11-14-38-45-46, Mega Ball: 03, Megaplier: 3
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
Midday: 7-9-6
Evening: 2-0-2
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
Midday: 9-8-7-5
Evening: 6-3-7-0
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning All or Nothing numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
Midday: 03-04-06-07-09-10-14-16-17-18-19
Evening: 02-05-07-08-12-13-17-18-19-20-21
Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Badger 5 numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
05-19-22-23-24
Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning SuperCash numbers from Dec. 24 drawing
02-03-06-30-31-34, Doubler: N
Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
- Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
- Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
- Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.
Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?
No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.
When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
- All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
- Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin RB enters transfer portal. NCAA waiver gives senior another year of eligibility
An aerial view of Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis.
An aerial view of Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis., home of the Wisconsin Badgers.
MADISON – A recent court ruling has opened the door for former junior college players to gain another year of NCAA eligibility.
It appears that Tawee Walker is going to take advantage of the opportunity.
According to On3, Wisconsin’s senior running back will enter the transfer portal in search of a home for next season. The news came one day after the NCAA approved a blanket waiver granting one more year of eligibility to athletes who competed at a non-NCAA school for one or more years and would have otherwise exhausted their eligibility during the 2024-25 school year.
Walker fits the bill. He played the the 2021 season at Palomar College. a junior college in San Marcos, California, before competing for Oklahoma in 2022 and ’23 and Wisconsin this season. The NCAA counts his junior college season towards his four years of college eligibility.
The waiver stems from a case brought forward by Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia. A Tennessee court ruled that counting the two seasons he played at a junior college toward his NCAA eligibility violated the Sherman Antitrust Act.
Walker, a 5-foot-9, 218-pound Las Vegas native, led the Badgers with 864 yards in 190 carries, a 4.5-yard average, and scored 10 touchdowns.
He begin the season sharing the No. 1 tailback role with Chez Mellusi and blossomed after Mellusi took what proved to be a permanent leave Oct. 3.
As Wisconsin’s primary ball carrier Walker ran for 718 yards in 152 carries, a 4.7-yard average, with nine touchdowns.
His best stretch was a three-game run against Purdue, Rutgers and Northwestern when he gained 418 yards in 66 carries, a 6.3-yard average, and scored six times.
Wisconsin
2024 Wisconsin Badgers Positional Review: Safeties
2024 Wisconsin Badgers Positional Review: Safeties
Wisconsin football saw its season end without bowl practices for the first time since 2001. The Badgers hit a new low this century in year two of the Luke Fickell era, and will face a critical get-right year in 2025.
Over the next two weeks, BadgerBlitz.com will examine the 2024 Badgers position by position. Today, we’ll wrap up the series with the safeties, a unit that helped anchor a strong defensive backfield in 2024.
POSITIONAL REVIEWS: Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers | Tight Ends | Offensive Line | Defensive Line | Outside Linebackers | Inside Linebackers | Cornerbacks
2024 HIGH: Preston Zachman’s continued development
Redshirt senior Preston Zachman continued his development into a highly reliable safety in 2024, and even better news? He’s coming back next fall.
Zachman became somewhat of a surprise starter alongside Hunter Wohler last season, but he played well in the process, displaying his football IQ and a knack for being in the right place in the right time. He continued to take steps in a positive direction this season, posting a career-best stat-line of 58 total tackles, 2.5 tackles-for-loss, two interceptions and four pass breakups.
The safety has a penchant for making routine plays routinely. He missed just six tackles on 753 total snaps, per Pro Football Focus. He also surrendered just one touchdown across 366 coverage snaps. But Zachman can also make the big play. His most impressive rep of the season was likely his interception in Los Angeles, pictured above. In coverage against dynamic slot weapon Zachariah Branch, a matchup most would deem a mismatch, he blanketed the receiver, bodied him at the catch point, reeled in the interception and talked smack in the star pass-catcher’s face after the whistle.
The ball skills he displayed were impressive, but it was also a clinic in technique and positioning. Zachman is one of the most fundamentally sound players on Mike Tressel‘s defense, and his return for 2025 is massive for a secondary that figures to be relatively inexperienced and also just lost its best player in Wohler.
2024 LOW: Hunter Wohler vs. USC
Interestingly enough, one of Zachman’s best games (USC) was also one of Wohler’s worst. He gave up two touchdowns in the second half alone, helping the Trojans complete the comeback victory.
With time dwindling in the third quarter, USC faced a 3rd-and-7 from the Badgers eight yard-line. Wisconsin sent six pass-rushers after Trojans’ quarterback Miller Moss, leaving five one-on-ones in coverage against a five wide look. That included Wohler on the 6-foot-6 wideout Duce Robinson.
Robinson ran a skinny post and simply boxed Wohler out to reel in a touchdown, looking like a forward pulling down a rebound over a guard. It’s hard to blame Wohler for giving up four inches of height to the physical specimen of a wideout, but still, the safety was directly responsible for that touchdown.
Wohler gave up a touchdown on the very next drive as well. The Trojans marched down the field in nine plays but were faced with a 4th-and-1 on the Badgers’ seven yard line. Moss ran a read option, and kept the ball with outside linebacker Aaron Witt crashing off the strong side. Wohler read the play well, and came face-to-face with Moss in the open field. If he made the tackle, it would’ve been a turnover on downs. Instead, Moss hit him with a filthy spin move, breaking the safety’s ankles and scoring a touchdown. Another straight-up mano a mano that Wohler lost resulting in a touchdown, on consecutive drives no less.
ONE STORYLINE TO FOLLOW BEFORE THE 2025 SEASON: Which transfer nabs a starting role?
With the return of Zachman and Austin Brown, Wisconsin is in a solid spot at safety. The Badgers have two experienced starters, in addition to a plethora of young players including four true freshmen. Zachman and Brown both figure to be starters given their experience and solid play in 2024. But if we’ve learned anything about Tressel’s defense over the course of two seasons, it’s that he deploys three safeties frequently. Especially given the fact that Wisconsin figures to be inexperienced at cornerback with just four corners currently on the roster, safeties can be expected to play plenty of snaps.
The Badgers have signed two transfers at safety at the time of writing: Matthew Traynor (FCS Richmond) and Matt Jung (D-III Bethel). Traynor is a versatile safety who can line up anywhere, while Jung absolutely stuffed the stat-sheet at the D-III level. Both figure to get plenty of run behind Zachman and Brown. But which player looks more dynamic? Who appears to be adjusting to Big Ten competition better? Where in the alignment does either player line up? These will be critical questions to answer this spring and into fall camp.
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