Wisconsin City of Appleton Special Voting Deputies Challenge

Lawsuit filed by two special voting deputy appointees against the city of Appleton’s clerk challenging the city’s refusal to allow Republican special voting deputies from serving in the August 2024 primary election. In Wisconsin, voters in residential care facilities and qualified retirement homes may cast their absentee ballots in person from their facility in a process overseen by a special voting deputy. Each municipality must appoint at least two special voting deputies to oversee their jurisdiction over a two-year term. These deputies are nominated by the two political parties who receive the most votes in the municipality’s most recent general election. In Appleton’s last general election, both Republican and Democratic candidates won the majority vote in each of these roles. The plaintiffs claim that the clerk prohibited Republican nominated and appointed special voting deputies from serving in the August 2024 primary election. The plaintiffs argue the clerk’s actions violate state law, and ask the court to order the clerk to allow the Republican nominees to serve as special voting deputies.

RESULT: On July 25, 2024, the court dismissed the case after the parties came to a joint resolution. The Republican special voting deputies will be allowed to serve in the August 2024 primary election, November 2024 general election and any other election that takes place during their two-year term. 

Last updated: August 21, 2024 5:34 pm EST