On September 25, 2024, Wisconsin Business Leaders for Democracy (WBLD) and Leadership Now Project filed an amicus brief with the Wisconsin Supreme Court backing the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) and its Administrator, Megan Wolfe in Wisconsin Elections Commission v. Lemahieu.
The brief argues the court should affirm the appellate court's ruling and reject the legislature’s effort to remove Wolfe.
“With voting about to begin in Wisconsin, it’s distressing that politicians continue their efforts to remove Wisconsin’s top election administrator,” said Tom Florsheim, a member of the Leadership Now Project “To create an environment where businesses can thrive, we need a democracy that functions efficiently, transparently, and without partisan interference. Fair and impartial election administration is the cornerstone of that democracy.”
In this case, the leadership of the Wisconsin legislature is asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to order Wolfe removed from her position. This is in spite of the fact that since her confirmation in 2018 by the bipartisan Commission, Wolfe has been recognized for her non-partisan professionalism and success in overseeing elections.
WBLD and Leadership Now, representing business leaders from Wisconsin and across the nation, emphasize that preserving democratic norms is vital to fostering long-term economic growth and stability. The brief warns that attempts to undermine the WEC’s independence and remove Administrator Wolfe ahead of the 2024 election jeopardize the predictability and transparency businesses rely on for decision-making and investment.
The brief highlights the fact that Wisconsin’s independent election administration has been pivotal to the state’s long standing competitiveness, providing both businesses and the public with confidence in the election process. The WEC was designed to be a nonpartisan body that supports over 1,900 local election officials, ensuring the fair execution of elections that protect the will of the people.
“The relentless partisan efforts to disrupt election administration in Wisconsin must stop if we are to be taken seriously as a destination for investment,” said Anoop Prakash, a founding member of WBLD and Wisconsin Chair of the Leadership Now Project. “It’s high time for legislative leaders to stop pursuing wasteful variations of the same false narratives that have been disproved time and time again.”
WBLD and Leadership Now argue that the attacks on Wolfe are not just an assault on election integrity, but also a threat to Wisconsin’s economic future. By undermining public trust in the election process, these political efforts risk creating an environment of uncertainty, leading to instability in the business community.
The amicus brief urges the Wisconsin Supreme Court to affirm the lower court’s ruling, which upheld the WEC’s authority to maintain its leadership and ensure continuity in election administration. In doing so, the court can reinforce that democratic governance—free from partisan interference—is essential to both political and economic health in Wisconsin.
