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Meagan Wolfe is an American election official who has served as the administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission since 2018. Prior to this role, she was the Commission's deputy administrator and IT director. She has been the target of election conspiracies and partisan complaints since the 2020 United States presidential election, and Republicans in the Wisconsin Legislature and on the Wisconsin Elections Commission attempted to remove her from office.

Key Information

Career

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Wolfe was born in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, and raised in Waupaca County.[1] In 2009, she founded a rental real estate company that refurbishes historic buildings in Madison, Wisconsin.[1] In 2011, Wolfe joined the staff of the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board as the voter outreach coordinator.[2][1] She was responsible for keeping the public informed on the state's election processes and voter identification laws.[2] She stayed on when the board was reestablished as the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC).[2] She later became an elections IT project manager and IT director.[1] In 2017, Wolfe became deputy administrator of the commission.[2]

In February 2018, the commission, comprising three Republicans and three Democrats, voted for Wolfe to serve as the interim administrator, succeeding Michael Haas.[2] She was appointed interim administrator March 2, 2018, and was unanimously confirmed by the Wisconsin State Senate on May 15, 2019, for a term ending June 30, 2023.[3][4]

Removal efforts (2020–present)

[edit]
Main article: Impeachment in Wisconsin § Proposed impeachment of Election Administrator Meagan Wolfe (2023)

Following the 2020 United States presidential election in Wisconsin, she faced calls by Republican members of the Wisconsin Legislature to resign.[4][5] In response to the criticism, the Wisconsin Business Leaders for Democracy Coalition, a bipartisan group expressed support for Wolfe.[6]

When her term came to an end in June 2023, Wolfe remained in office due to the recent Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling that the expiration of an appointed term did not alone warrant removal from office when no replacement had been confirmed. Republican officials then believed they could remove her through the Senate confirmation process, by renominating her and having the Senate reject her nomination. Republican members of the commission attempted to vote for her renomination, but the Democratic members of the commission abstained from the vote, preventing a majority vote for renomination.[7]

The Wisconsin Senate deemed she had been renominated and that they would move to consider the nomination. The state attorney general, Josh Kaul, then wrote to the Senate telling them that there was no appointment and any Senate vote on the matter would be invalid.[8] The Senate moved forward with their process and voted along party lines to disapprove of her reappointment. Following the advice of the attorney general, Wolfe remained in office and said of the Senate vote: "My position as administrator is, of course, subject to removal by the majority vote of the commission at any time. In the meantime, unless a final determination of a court says otherwise, I will continue to serve as the administrator of the (Wisconsin Elections Commission)."[9] Kaul ultimately launched a lawsuit to clarify the legality of Wolfe's status, holding to the precedent of the recent Wisconsin Supreme Court decision in State ex rel. Kaul v. Prehn, where the court held that an official could remain in their post beyond the expiration of their term until a successor was properly nominated and confirmed.[10]

Subsequently, a number of Republican state representatives, led by Janel Brandtjen, began circulating a resolution to attempt to remove her through the impeachment process.[9] In early October, however, two conservative former Wisconsin Supreme Court justices spoke out against the use of impeachment for such partisan political purposes, and Republicans in the legislature then appeared to back away from some of their impeachment threats. Subsequently, in the attorney general's case on this matter, Republican filings indicated that they acknowledged that their vote to reject Wolfe was "symbolic" and that Wolfe was "lawfully holding over" in her role.[7]

Those pushing for her ouster, however, were not dissuaded by the arguments of the conservative former Wisconsin Supreme Court justices about the serious nature of impeachment. Brandtjen called for her impeachment articles to move forward into the committee process, and her calls were echoed by former justice Michael Gableman, who had run an unsuccessful two-year investigation to find fraud in the 2020 election. In the first days of November 2023, a right wing PAC, calling itself "Wisconsin Elections Committee", began airing advertisements threatening the Wisconsin Assembly speaker, Robin Vos, with a recall and primary challenge if he did not move Brandtjen's impeachment resolution forward.[11] Vos—who had barely survived a 2022 primary challenge—caved to their demands just hours after the ad campaign was announced, and assigned the articles of impeachment to the Assembly Committee on Government Accountability and Oversight.[12]

Within days of that announcement, former U.S. president Donald Trump also weighed in, sharing a copy of Brandtjen's press release to his social media followers on Truth Social. On November 9, 2023, Brandtjen attempted to bring her impeachment resolution to the Assembly floor, but the attempted was ruled out-of-order by speaker pro tempore Kevin David Petersen. Around that time, Vos commented, "I think we need to move forward and talk about the issues that matter to most Wisconsinites and that is not, for most Wisconsinites, obsessing about Meagan Wolfe."[13]

The ad campaign against Wolfe proceeded anyway, and around the same time, Vos' appointee to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, Don Millis, came out with a strong defense of Wolfe in a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel op-ed, saying, "grifters are spending more than $100,000 to peddle lies about Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe". He went on to explain the legal and historical reality of the charges against Wolfe:[14]

The truth is my predecessors on the commission, not Wolfe, authorized the use of drop boxes that were later declared illegal by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The commission was unanimous, including my predecessor and the other two GOP commissioners, in authorizing unstaffed drop boxes. Similarly, it was the commission members, not Wolfe, who authorized the return of multiple ballots, sometimes described as ballot harvesting.

The ads continue, accusing Wolfe of permitting local governments to accept private funds to run elections, described as “Zuckerbucks,” from an organization affiliated with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Wolfe has no authority to allow or deny the receipt of “Zuckerbucks.” In fact, it was the commission, not Wolfe, that rejected a complaint challenging the acceptance of “Zuckerbucks” ...

Millis further chastised the Journal Sentinel and other Milwaukee media for not fact-checking the ads.[14]

Nevertheless, right wing agitation continued calling for Wolfe's termination. The advertising and direct mail campaign did continue in southeast Wisconsin urging impeachment, and Vos received more pressure from his legislature colleagues, including Senate president Chris Kapenga.[15] This campaign culminated in a recall campaign launched against Vos in January 2024.[16]

Dane County circuit judge Ann Peacock ruled in favor of Wolfe on January 10, 2024, saying that the Wisconsin Elections Commission had not officially renominated her and therefore the state Senate's vote rejecting her renomination had no legal weight. Senate Republicans had requested that the judge order the Wisconsin Elections Commission to officially nominate a replacement, but the judge also rejected that, finding no legal obligation for the Commission to submit a timely nomination of a successor.[17]

Wolfe continued to be a target of right wing conspiracy theories going into the 2024 presidential election. In an April 2024 radio interview, Trump again named Wolfe as a key scapegoat for his defeat in 2020, saying: "I couldn't understand how we lost that election because, you know, I love the state, I have so many friends in the state... It never made sense to me. Now we find out why. She should be gone." He also said that if she were not removed, she "will try to steal another election." He also continued trying to influence Republican Assembly speaker Robin Vos to find some way to get rid her.[18] Following Trump's comments, and due to an increase in threats, Governor Tony Evers approved additional security for Wolfe.[19]

Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled in favor of Meagan Wolfe on February 7, 2025, allowing her to continue as the state's elections administrator despite GOP opposition.[20] In a unanimous decision written by conservative Chief Justice Annette Ziegler, the court rejected an argument from state Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, and other Republicans claiming the Wisconsin Elections Commission must appoint a new administrator .[21] The order upheld a 2022 ruling from the court’s former conservative majority, which found Republican political appointee Fred Prehn could stay on Wisconsin’s Natural Resources Board past his term. In that case, the court’s conservative majority found that because the Senate never held a vote to confirm a replacement for Prehn, state law allowed him to stay in his role.[22]

References

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Meagan Wolfe

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Meagan Wolfe is an American election official serving as the Administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) since 2018, functioning as the state's chief elections officer responsible for overseeing election administration, security, and support for 1,922 local election officials. Wolfe joined Wisconsin state service in 2011 as a voter services election specialist, advancing to roles including voter outreach coordinator, where she developed educational resources on voting laws such as the photo ID requirement, and later as assistant administrator managing the WisVote voter registration system, IT initiatives, and election security planning. She holds a bachelor's degree in English and legal studies from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater and previously worked as a project coordinator and intellectual property assistant at law and engineering firms in the Madison area. Appointed by the bipartisan WEC in February 2018 and confirmed by the state Senate in 2019 for a four-year term, she led the redesign of the MyVote Wisconsin voter information portal to improve usability and accessibility. Throughout her tenure, Wolfe has advocated for election security and received the 2024 National Public Service Award for her contributions to elections administration. However, she has faced significant partisan controversy, particularly from Republican lawmakers seeking her removal following disputes over the 2020 presidential election administration, including allegations of irregularities that courts and investigations have not substantiated with evidence of fraud. These efforts culminated in legal challenges, but the Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously ruled in February 2025 that she could retain her position despite her term's expiration, rejecting attempts to oust her on procedural grounds.

Background and Early Career

Education and Personal Background

Meagan Wolfe earned a degree in English and Legal Studies from the University of -Whitewater. Publicly available information on Wolfe's personal background, such as her early life, family, or upbringing, remains limited, with sources focusing primarily on her professional trajectory in Wisconsin state government.

Initial Professional Experience

Wolfe entered state service in in 2011 as a Voter Services Election Specialist with the Government Accountability Board, the predecessor agency to the Elections Commission. In this initial position, she focused on voter services, including outreach and assistance to officials and the public. From 2011 onward, Wolfe led the state's voter outreach efforts, coordinating initiatives to educate voters and election administrators on procedures and compliance. Her responsibilities expanded to include support for election administration, such as guidance on absentee voting and polling operations. By April 2017, she advanced to Assistant Administrator of the Elections Commission, where she managed election security planning and operational support for local clerks.

Appointment to Wisconsin Elections Commission

Selection Process and Confirmation

In February 2018, Michael Haas resigned as administrator of the Elections Commission amid criticism from Republican state senators, who had previously rejected his confirmation and demanded his ouster due to perceived ties to the defunct Government Accountability Board and its handling of investigations into political fundraising. The resignation created a vacancy in the position, which is appointed by the commission's six bipartisan members—three Republicans and three Democrats—for a four-year term subject to confirmation by the state under Wisconsin Statutes section 7.20. On March 2, 2018, the commission unanimously voted to promote Meagan Wolfe, who had served as the agency's assistant administrator since 2016, to interim administrator and submitted her nomination to the for full confirmation. This internal selection process prioritized continuity, as Wolfe had prior experience in election administration, including roles at the commission and the former Government Board. The Republican-controlled confirmed Wolfe unanimously on May 15, 2019, enabling her to serve a full term as the state's chief election official ending , 2023. The delay between her interim appointment and confirmation reflected standard legislative review procedures, during which no significant opposition emerged despite the partisan context surrounding Haas's exit.

Role and Responsibilities as Administrator

As Administrator of the Elections Commission (WEC), Meagan Wolfe serves as the state's chief election official and , appointed by the six-member commission to lead its nonpartisan staff. Under the commission's general policy direction, she provides administrative leadership and direction to execute established policies and programs related to election administration. This position entails overseeing the implementation of Wisconsin Statutes chapters 5 to 10 and 12, which govern elections, voting systems, ballots, and . Wolfe's responsibilities include directing general administration of statewide elections, such as coordinating through the centralized WisVote system and ensuring uniformity in procedures across Wisconsin's 1,850 municipalities. She provides education, training, and technical assistance to local election officials, including issuing guidance memos on topics like handling, polling place management, and compliance with voting laws to promote consistent application statewide. The administrator also oversees of voting equipment and systems to meet and standards mandated by state and . Additional duties encompass election campaign finance oversight, including processing reports from candidates and committees, and supporting enforcement actions for violations of election laws through investigations and referrals. As , Wolfe manages the agency's , staff of approximately 50 employees, and interagency collaborations, such as with the for voter ID compliance and federal election assistance programs under the Help America Vote Act. These functions ensure decentralized election delivery by empowering local clerks while maintaining statewide standards for integrity and accessibility.

Administration of the 2020 Election

Pre-Election Preparations and Guidance

In response to the , the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC), administered by Meagan Wolfe, issued public health guidance on March 29, 2020, in collaboration with state health officials, outlining protocols for polling place sanitation, , poll worker protections including masks and gloves, and accommodations for voters with health concerns to facilitate safer in-person voting. This guidance, initially applied to the April 7, 2020 spring election amid ongoing litigation over extensions, emphasized preparation for high absentee turnout and served as a foundation for November general election planning, with Wolfe's office coordinating training for over 65,000 poll workers on these measures. Wolfe's administration promoted expanded absentee voting access, issuing statements urging clerks to process requests efficiently and voters to apply early, noting that by October 29, 2020, the legal deadline for most mail absentee requests had passed, with over 1.5 million absentee ballots already issued statewide. Guidance encouraged local clerks to interpret "indefinite confinement" status—exempting voters from photo ID requirements under Wis. Stat. § 6.86(2)(b)—broadly for those fearing exposure, leading to approximately 200,000 such ballots cast without ID verification, a practice later criticized for deviating from statutory intent limited to age, illness, or infirmity rather than temporary fears. On August 19, 2020, the WEC released a memo under Wolfe providing detailed guidance on implementing drop boxes, recommending secure, accessible locations with , tamper-evident seals, and regular collections by clerks, despite no explicit statutory authorization for unstaffed boxes in law. This facilitated widespread use by municipalities, with over 500 drop boxes deployed by October 2020, though the approach was subsequently ruled unlawful by the in 2022 for exceeding clerks' authority under absentee return statutes. Wolfe defended the guidance as a practical response to mail delays and health risks, prioritizing voter access while claiming alignment with existing statutes allowing in-person delivery to clerks' offices. Preparations also included enhanced training materials for clerks on curing processes, secure chain-of-custody for absentees, and cybersecurity protocols, with Wolfe's team distributing toolkits on communications to counter and build public confidence. These efforts contributed to a record 1.99 million absentee cast in the , 2020 , representing over 51% of total votes, amid bipartisan commission oversight but drawing scrutiny from Republican lawmakers for potentially enabling irregularities through interpretive expansions.

Election Day and Post-Election Actions

On November 3, 2020, polling places across opened at 7:00 a.m. and closed at 8:00 p.m., with the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC), led by Administrator Meagan Wolfe, coordinating statewide operations amid a record volume of influenced by the . Local clerks, following WEC guidance, had begun verifying absentee ballot envelopes up to six days prior but delayed actual counting until after polls closed to maintain ballot secrecy and . Wolfe's office reported no widespread disruptions, though urban areas like experienced delays in reporting due to the manual of over 1.9 million absentee ballots statewide, which shifted vote tallies overnight as results were tabulated. She emphasized in public updates that safeguards, including bipartisan observer access and duplicate tracking, ensured procedural integrity. Following Election Day, Wolfe oversaw the statutory canvassing timeline, requiring municipal clerks to complete tabulation and reporting by November 13 and county boards to certify by November 18. The Trump campaign requested a partial recount in Dane and counties on November 19, costing approximately $3 million; under WEC supervision, the recount concluded on November 29, affirming Joe Biden's victory by an additional 87 votes while identifying minor clerical errors but no systemic irregularities. Statewide certification occurred on November 30, 2020, with the WEC board unanimously approving the results despite internal Republican dissent calling for the chair's resignation over perceived certification haste. Wolfe publicly defended the process against fraud allegations, stating on November 5 that ongoing counts reflected normal procedures and lacked evidence of manipulation, a position echoed in subsequent audits confirming the election's security. Critics, including some GOP legislators, argued that WEC guidance on absentee drop boxes and indefinite confinement exemptions enabled potential abuse, though courts rejected related challenges for lack of proof. The administrator's responses prioritized empirical verification over unproven claims, aligning with bipartisan commission decisions rather than unilateral actions.

Controversies and Criticisms

Allegations of Election Irregularities

Republican lawmakers in the Wisconsin Assembly introduced Assembly Resolution 18 in November 2023, seeking the of Meagan Wolfe for alleged in the administration of the 2020 election, including improper guidance on absentee voting procedures. The resolution accused the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC), under Wolfe's leadership as administrator, of issuing memos that authorized the use of unsecured ballot drop boxes, contravening statutes that require absentee ballots to be returned by mail or in person to clerks. Critics, including Republican legislators, contended that this guidance enabled potential unauthorized third-party handling of ballots, as drop boxes lacked statutory authorization and were later deemed unconstitutional by the in a 2022 ruling applying prospectively. A central allegation involved absentee ballot curing practices, where WEC guidance allegedly permitted clerks to add missing witness addresses to ballot envelopes, violating Wis. Stat. § 6.87(6d), which specifies that incomplete witness information disqualifies ballots. AR18 further claimed that Wolfe facilitated of voters by partnering with nonprofits, such as US Digital Response, to assist in curing ballots in cities like Green Bay and Racine, potentially introducing inconsistencies in ballot acceptance across municipalities. Additionally, the resolution alleged that WEC directed clerks to accept applications from third parties, including spouses or volunteers, in conflict with Wis. Stat. § 6.86(1)(a)2., which limits such requests to voters or specified relatives. In facilities, Wolfe faced accusations of supporting illegal absentee voting by endorsing the mailing of ballots to residents without the use of special voting deputies, as required under Wis. Stat. § 6.875(4) to prevent or . Republican critics, including Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling, highlighted a investigation revealing that 96% of ballots cast in certain homes went to one , attributing this to the absence of deputies and reliance on facility staff or family for assistance, which allegedly opened doors to improprieties. A nonpartisan legislative confirmed that the WEC's decision to forgo special deputies violated state , though it found no of widespread . AR18 also alleged neglect in maintaining voter rolls and protecting data, citing instances like the Kim Zapata case in where fraudulent absentee requests were possible due to inadequate safeguards. Further claims in AR18 and related Republican critiques included the employment of partisan out-of-state individuals, such as Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein from the , to assist in operations, purportedly breaching Wis. Stat. § 5.02(4e) on impartial administration. These allegations collectively portrayed Wolfe's tenure as enabling procedural irregularities that undermined integrity, though a legislative audit emphasized that while certain protocols were not followed—such as obtaining electronic reports from all clerks—the overall was secure without systemic . The Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC), under Administrator Meagan Wolfe, responded to post-2020 election fraud allegations by emphasizing the absence of evidence for widespread irregularities and highlighting procedural safeguards. In a November 13, 2020, public statement, Wolfe corrected , asserting that claims of lacked substantiation and that processes complied with state law, including indefinite confinement exceptions and clerk-issued IDs. The WEC's June 2021 report documented only 13 potential instances of from the November 2020 —out of over 3.3 million ballots cast—referring them to prosecutors, underscoring the rarity of verified violations amid robust verification like signature matching and poll book checks. A nonpartisan review by the Legislative Audit Bureau, released October 22, 2021, affirmed the election's overall security, finding no evidence of widespread fraud despite procedural lapses such as inconsistent adherence to electronic reporting and guidance on unsecured drop boxes. Wolfe and WEC officials rebutted specific claims, including allegations of inflated Milwaukee voter rolls or improper absentee voting, by citing statutory compliance and audit trails; for instance, during a , 2022, legislative hearing, they debunked assertions of non-citizen voting or duplicate ballots through data from the state's voter database, which showed minimal discrepancies resolved via standard purges. Legal challenges, primarily from the Trump campaign, sought to invalidate over 220,000 votes in Dane and counties over alleged indefinite confinement abuses and poll watcher restrictions. The , in Trump v. Biden on December 14, 2020, rejected these claims as "unreasonable" and without merit, ruling that extended absentee voting deadlines were lawfully applied post-clerk guidance and that observer access met statutory requirements. Federal courts similarly dismissed related suits, such as a December 12, 2020, challenge, finding insufficient evidence of systemic or equal protection violations. Wolfe's testimony and WEC filings supported these defenses, providing affidavits from clerks confirming chain-of-custody protocols and bipartisan , which courts deemed adequate despite critics' arguments for stricter oversight. Subsequent probes, including Michael Gableman's review, alleged mismanagement but yielded no prosecutable , with many assertions later fact-checked as misleading.

Legislative Attempts to Oust Wolfe

In July 2023, the Elections Commission (WEC) voted 4-2 to nominate Meagan Wolfe to continue serving as administrator in holdover status after her five-year term expired on August 1, 2023, under state law allowing holdover until a successor is appointed. Republican lawmakers, who controlled the state , contended that the position required confirmation and viewed Wolfe's continued tenure as invalid without it, citing her handling of 2020 election disputes as grounds for removal. On September 11, 2023, a five-member Senate committee voted 3-1 along party lines to reject Wolfe's holdover nomination, advancing it to the full chamber despite Democratic arguments that the administrator role—appointed by the bipartisan WEC rather than the governor—did not fall under Senate confirmation authority per Wisconsin statutes. Three days later, on September 14, 2023, the Republican-led Senate voted 22-11 to remove Wolfe, with all Democrats opposing and Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, accusing her of incompetence in addressing voter fraud allegations and absentee ballot issues from 2020. Senate Republicans maintained the vote enforced accountability for what they described as Wolfe's refusal to decertify the 2020 results or investigate irregularities adequately, though no evidence of widespread fraud was substantiated in subsequent audits or court rulings. Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Janet Bewley, condemned the action as an improper partisan power grab lacking legal basis, arguing it undermined the WEC's statutory independence and risked disrupting election administration ahead of 2024. The vote prompted immediate legal challenges, with Democratic filing suit to affirm Wolfe's holdover rights, while Republicans admitted the resolution had no immediate enforcement mechanism absent further action. Following the vote, on September 21, 2023, five Republican assemblymembers introduced articles of against Wolfe, alleging malfeasance in oversight, but the effort stalled without assembly leadership support or progression to a full vote. No prior legislative votes to oust Wolfe had succeeded, though Republican criticism intensified after , including unsuccessful 2021 calls for resignation amid fraud probes that yielded no charges. These attempts reflected broader GOP efforts to replace nonpartisan officials perceived as insufficiently responsive to 2020 irregularities claims, despite federal and state validations of Wisconsin's results.

Judicial Rulings and Outcomes

In October 2023, following the State Senate's vote on to remove Meagan Wolfe as administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC), Dane County Judge Ann Peacock granted a temporary injunction blocking the removal from taking effect during the pendency of the related lawsuit filed by the WEC. The ruling held that the Senate's nonbinding advisory vote lacked legal force to oust Wolfe absent a formal appointment process under state law, preserving her position amid claims by Republican legislators that her term had expired and that she failed to meet reappointment qualifications. The case escalated to the in Wisconsin Elections Commission v. LeMahieu (2024AP000351), where justices unanimously ruled on February 7, 2025, that Wolfe could lawfully continue serving as a holdover administrator after her five-year term expired on August 1, 2023. The court determined that statutes permit holdover service by executive appointees like the WEC administrator until a successor is appointed and qualified, rejecting arguments from Republican lawmakers that Wolfe's holdover status was invalid due to the commission's inaction on reappointment or alleged procedural defects. This decision effectively nullified legislative efforts to replace her, affirming that only the bipartisan WEC—requiring a two-thirds vote—holds authority over her appointment and removal, not the . Separate litigation, such as a challenge by state Representative Janel Brandtjen questioning the WEC's agreement under Wolfe's administration, advanced to court but did not directly address her removal and remained unresolved as of late without impacting her tenure. Other suits against Wolfe, including a Public Interest Legal Foundation demand for records, focused on transparency rather than her position and yielded no rulings altering her status.

Post-2020 Developments and Legacy

Continued Tenure and Reforms

Despite the expiration of her five-year term as Elections Commission (WEC) administrator on June 30, 2023, Meagan Wolfe continued in the role as a holdover, invoking a 2022 precedent that permits incumbents to remain until a successor is confirmed and assumes office. The Democratic-majority WEC deliberately declined to reappoint her to preserve this status amid partisan gridlock, while the Republican-controlled state Senate rejected her confirmation in a 22-10 vote on September 14, 2023, prompting five GOP lawmakers to introduce articles the following week on allegations of malfeasance related to 2020 election guidance. These efforts stalled without advancement in the Democrat-controlled Assembly. The dispute reached the , which heard oral arguments on November 18, 2024, regarding whether Wolfe's holdover status created a vacancy requiring reappointment. On February 7, 2025, the court unanimously ruled 4-0 that no vacancy existed, as the WEC lacked authority to declare one unilaterally, thereby affirming Wolfe's ongoing tenure and rejecting claims that her position required confirmation post-expiration. This decision, building on the 2022 Prehn v. WERC ruling, ensured continuity in election administration ahead of the February 18, 2025, spring primary. Under Wolfe's leadership during this period, the WEC implemented administrative enhancements to election infrastructure and training. The commission developed an in-house statewide system featuring , which improved cybersecurity and served as a model adopted by states including . It also produced instructional videos on election processes, earning the 2023 Innovators Award from the National Association of State Election Directors for promoting transparency and efficiency. Wolfe directed expanded training for over 1,800 local on statutory compliance, including the 2011 voter ID requirements, and provided real-time legal guidance during 2022 litigation that curtailed unregulated drop boxes. In October , the WEC issued a 64-page election readiness report detailing preparations such as processing protocols and resources for the November . Following the presidential contest, the commission approved standardized recount guidance on November 1, , to facilitate uniform procedures across municipalities. These measures emphasized operational consistency amid persistent scrutiny, with Wolfe prioritizing nonpartisan support for facing threats and errors, such as a primary miscount in Green County.

Broader Impact on Election Administration

Wolfe's administration of the Elections Commission has emphasized adaptive guidance to local clerks amid evolving legal and legislative constraints, influencing procedural uniformity across the state's 1,850+ municipalities. For instance, following a July 2022 ruling deeming unstaffed drop boxes illegal, the WEC under Wolfe issued directives requiring voters to mail their own ballots directly, prohibiting third-party handling by caretakers or others, to ensure chain-of-custody integrity. In October 2024, she clarified that staffed drop boxes could serve as a secure option if clerks adhered to strict WEC protocols, balancing accessibility with security in a battleground state. These updates, disseminated through training and memos, have standardized practices post-2020, reducing variability in —a method used by over 1.9 million Wisconsinites in 2020—while responding to bipartisan commission approvals and court mandates. Her tenure has also catalyzed structural debates on election oversight, prompting Republican-led proposals in December 2023 to abolish the WEC and redistribute duties to the legislature and governor's office, reflecting dissatisfaction with perceived centralized nonpartisan control amid post-2020 . Though unsuccessful, such efforts underscore how Wolfe's resistance to removal—upheld by the on February 7, 2025, affirming her holdover status—has reinforced legal precedents for insulating administrators from partisan ousters, potentially stabilizing similar bodies in other states facing analogous pressures. Critics, including conservative lawmakers, argue this entrenches resistance to reforms like enhanced voter ID verification or audit expansions, viewing WEC decisions under Wolfe as overly permissive of irregularities despite lacking of widespread fraud. Nationally, Wolfe's experience has amplified discussions on safeguarding election administrators from and politicization, contributing to frameworks for resilience in a post-2020 landscape of heightened . By prioritizing transparency, such as public equipment testing and clerk training, her approach has bolstered local confidence, with clerks citing her as an ally against misinformation-driven disruptions that strain resources. This model, while praised for maintaining operational continuity in swing-state , highlights tensions between nonpartisan expertise and demands for accountability, influencing advocacy for federal protections against threats to officials.

References

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  4. https://wisconsinwatch.org/2023/09/evidence-lacking-gop-case-top-wisconsin-election-official-meagan-wolfe/
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  6. https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2025/02/07/wisconsin-supreme-court-unanimously-finds-wec-administrator-can-stay-in-job/
  7. https://www.wpr.org/news/wisconsin-supreme-court-rules-meagan-wolfe-can-remain-states-top-elections-official
  8. https://www.eac.gov/sites/default/files/event_document/files/EACReadinessSummitAgenda.pdf
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  13. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/27/state-elections-commission-steps-down-amid-criticism-republicans/376799002/
  14. https://apnews.com/article/01bc82ac6a8240378ad52223cb1bcb89
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  19. https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/document/statutes/5.05
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  21. https://dpm.wi.gov/Documents/PD/PD_007387.pdf
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  23. https://dpm.wi.gov/Documents/PD/PD_523207.pdf
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  28. https://will-law.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Exhibit-B-WEC-August-2020-Drop-Box-Memo.pdf
  29. https://www.wicourts.gov/sc/opinion/DisplayDocument.pdf?content=pdf&seqNo=542617
  30. https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2024/oct/25/eric-hovde/ballot-drop-boxes-did-not-just-appear-for-pandemic/
  31. https://www.ridgewaywi.gov/media/2321
  32. https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2023/related/proposals/ar18.pdf
  33. https://ballotpedia.org/Presidential_election_in_Wisconsin%2C_2020
  34. https://ballotpedia.org/Processing%2C_counting%2C_and_challenging_absentee/mail-in_ballots_in_Wisconsin%2C_2020
  35. https://www.wpr.org/politics/wisconsins-2020-recount-bears-little-resemblance-2016
  36. https://www.wpr.org/politics/gop-election-commissioners-call-resignation-over-biden-certification
  37. https://www.wsaw.com/2020/11/05/wisconsin-elections-commission-administrator-responds-to-pres-trumps-doubt-in-election-system/
  38. https://wisconsinwatch.org/2023/09/evidence-lacking-gop-case-top-wisconsin-election-official-meagan-wolfe
  39. https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2023/related/proposals/ar18
  40. https://www.wpr.org/diversity-and-inclusion/racine-county-sheriff-suspects-voting-improprieties-nursing-homes-advocates-say-its-not-simple
  41. https://www.wpr.org/politics/nonpartisan-review-wisconsins-2020-election-finds-no-widespread-fraud
  42. https://www.pbs.org/video/election-integrity-ttx0xn/
  43. https://www.wpr.org/justice/elections-commission-report-13-instances-possible-voter-fraud-referred-prosecutors-november-election
  44. https://www.wpr.org/politics/wisconsin-elections-officials-debunk-fraud-claims-capitol-hearing
  45. https://www.npr.org/2020/12/14/946463134/wisconsin-supreme-court-rules-trump-election-challenge-unreasonable-meritless
  46. https://law.justia.com/cases/wisconsin/supreme-court/2020/2020ap002038.html
  47. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/12/donald-trump-wisconsin-court-case-2020-election
  48. https://www.wicourts.gov/sc/opinion/DisplayDocument.pdf?content=pdf&seqNo=315395
  49. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2023/10/04/fact-check-meagan-wolfe-impeachment-articles-contain-false-claims/70929834007/
  50. https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/wisconsin-republicans-take-first-step-toward-ousting-wecs-meagan-wolfe/
  51. https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/14/politics/wisconsin-elections-dispute-meagan-wolfe
  52. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/gop-led-wisconsin-senate-votes-remove-chief-elections-official-rcna105146
  53. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/14/wisconsin-republicans-vote-fire-meagan-wolfe-election-official
  54. https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2023/09/14/embracing-election-denial-wisconsin-senate-republicans-vote-to-fire-chief-election-official/
  55. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/preserving-democracy/video/republicans-vote-to-fire-meagan-wolfe-ag-files-lawsuit/
  56. https://www.wpr.org/politics/republicans-move-impeach-meagan-wolfe-one-week-after-senate-vote-against-her-confirmation
  57. https://pbswisconsin.org/news-item/dane-county-judge-blocks-legislators-from-removing-wolfe-during-lawsuit/
  58. https://law.justia.com/cases/wisconsin/supreme-court/2025/2024ap000351.html
  59. https://wisconsinwatch.org/2025/02/wisconsin-election-commission-administrator-meagan-wolfe-supreme-court-republican/
  60. https://www.democracydocket.com/cases/wisconsin-eric-agreement-challenge/
  61. https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1397896/dl?inline
  62. https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2023/06/28/election-commission-fails-to-reappoint-wolfe-in-maneuver-to-keep-her-on-the-job/
  63. https://www.wicourts.gov/sc/opinion/DisplayDocument.pdf?content=pdf&seqNo=912027
  64. https://www.wpr.org/politics/wisconsin-supreme-court-rules-former-head-wisconsin-natural-resources-board-can-stay
  65. https://www.votebeat.org/wisconsin/2024/12/10/meagan-wolfe-wec-election-administrator-court-case-clerks/
  66. https://www.nased.org/news/2023innovatorsaward
  67. https://www.maciverinstitute.com/news/state-rep.-questions-timing-of-wisconsin-election-readiness-report
  68. https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2024/11/01/wisconsin-elections-commission-approves-presidential-recount-guidance/
  69. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/07/28/wisconsin-election-chief-meagan-wolfe-explains-changes-voting/10155118002/
  70. https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/administrator-wisconsin-voters-must-mail-their-own-absentee-ballots/
  71. https://www.wpr.org/news/wisconsin-elections-chief-says-drop-boxes-can-be-secure-option-for-voters-if-clerks-follow-guidance
  72. https://www.pbs.org/video/meagan-wolfe-on-absentee-ballot-drop-box-guidance-for-2024-1wvrzu/
  73. https://www.wpr.org/politics/republican-bill-would-abolish-wisconsin-elections-commission
  74. https://www.aol.com/meagan-wolfe-navigates-intense-scrutiny-170000992.html
  75. https://time.com/7017472/meagan-wolfe-democracy-defenders/
  76. https://issueone.org/the-officials-toolkit/
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