A Wisconsin judge on Friday granted state election officials further time to review the extensive challenges that Democrats have lodged against the recall petitions targeting three Dem state senators. But also as a key development the six already-certified recall petitions targeting six Republicans were not delayed — thus making it likely that two sets of recalls will be held on different dates.
Last week the state Government Accountability Board, which oversees elections in Wisconsin, had asked Dane County (Madison) Circuit Court Judge John Markson for an extension on their deadline to certify or reject the three recalls by June 3. The recalls are targeting Democratic state Sens. Dave Hansen, Jim Holperin, and Robert Wirch.
The state Democratic Party had previously said they would stop those three recalls, alleging a “racket” of vast fraud in the Republican efforts. And in that effort, the Dems filed many, many pages of challenges for the board to look at.
In response, WisPolitics reports, Markson did grant the GAB the extension, giving them this week to certify or reject the petitions. However, Markson also rejected Republican requests to further delay the six recalls targeting Republicans, in line with the GAB’s original desire to hold all recalls on the same day.
This means that the GOP recalls could be held on July 12, but the potential Dem recalls would be delayed to July 19 at the earliest.
Of course, the GOP recalls themselves could be delayed by other means: The state GOP’s reported efforts to sign up ringer Democratic candidates to force Democratic primaries, delaying the general elections.
