In a state like Wisconsin, where only around 20,000 votes have decided four of its most recent presidential elections, every vote truly counts. This is especially true when considering the impact of third-party presidential candidates on determining the direction of the Dairy State’s coveted 10 electoral votes. With such a close balance in Wisconsin, it’s no surprise that the filing of a complaint challenging the ballot access of Wisconsin Green Party candidate Jill Stein has made headlines.
The complaint, filed by David Strang, the state’s Democratic National Committee deputy operations director, alleges that the Wisconsin Green Party does not have qualified electors to put forward and thus violates Wisconsin election law. The Green Party’s virtual convention is set for this week, where Stein is expected to win the party’s presidential nomination.
Jill Stein’s campaign platform includes several left-leaning positions such as codifying Roe v. Wade, abolishing student debt, opposing school choice, and supporting the Equality Act, which would add sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity to the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Removing an option for pro-Palestinian voters in Wisconsin could potentially give a significant advantage to the Democratic Party. In April’s presidential primary, almost 48,000 voters cast an “uninstructed ballot” as a protest against President Biden’s handling of the Israel-Gaza conflict. Almost all candidates running for office have faced anti-Israel protests and hecklers while campaigning in Wisconsin.
The Democratic Party may be able to capitalize on this, potentially pushing those voters toward Vice President Kamala Harris instead. In a recent poll, Harris took a strong lead over former president Donald Trump in Wisconsin when third-party candidates were factored in, leading the former president 48% to 43.
The fate of Stein and other independent candidates is now in the hands of the six-member bipartisan Wisconsin Election Commission, which will make its decision at an August 27th meeting. The American people have grown weary of these anti-democratic tactics, and it remains to be seen how this unfolding situation will impact the political landscape in the swing state of Wisconsin.
