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Wisconsin Supreme Court Upholds Elections Official's Position

Wisconsin Chief Election Official Meagan Wolfe participates in an election forum, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

A unanimous ruling by the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Friday determined that Meagan Wolfe, the state's nonpartisan top elections official, can continue in her role despite not being reappointed and confirmed by the state Senate. The decision comes after Republican lawmakers attempted to remove Wolfe from her position in 2023, prompting the Wisconsin Elections Commission to file a lawsuit to retain her.

The 7-0 ruling affirmed a lower court's decision in favor of Wolfe, allowing her to remain as the Elections Commission Administrator without requiring a confirmation vote by the Republican-controlled Senate. The court stated that no vacancy exists, and therefore, the commission is not obligated to appoint a new administrator to replace Wolfe simply because her term has ended.

The court's reliance on a previous ruling that allowed another official to remain in their position after their term had ended was noted. The decision, made when the court had a conservative majority, was not overturned or modified in this case.

Wolfe had come under fire from Republican lawmakers following the 2020 presidential election, which was won by Joe Biden in Wisconsin. Despite facing conspiracy theories and threats, Wolfe's handling of the election was upheld through recounts, audits, and legal reviews.

Wolfe was initially appointed to her position in 2018 and confirmed for a four-year term in 2019. When her reappointment was considered in 2023, the commission was deadlocked, with three Republicans voting in favor and three Democrats abstaining. This led to Wolfe's appointment not being forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.

Although Republican senators later voted to dismiss Wolfe, claiming it was symbolic and had no legal effect, the state Supreme Court upheld the lower court's ruling that Wolfe was legally serving as administrator due to the lack of a majority vote to appoint her successor.

This case is part of a broader political context in Wisconsin, where similar actions have been taken in the past to reject confirmations and remove officials from their positions based on partisan disagreements.

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