How Democrats are seeking to block 3rd party candidates from Wisconsin's ballot

MADISON – Democrats are seeking to bar two third-party candidates from Wisconsin ballots, with the latest challenge filed last week against the Green Party.

Here's what to know about the challenges.

Democrats are challenging the candidacies of Jill Stein and Cornel West.

The most recent challenge, filed this week, seeks to bar the Green Party from placing a presidential candidate on Wisconsin's Nov. 5 ballot, arguing the party has failed to comply with the state's election laws.

"In particular, and as set forth in this Complaint, (the Wisconsin Green Party) is legally foreclosed under Wisconsin law from nominating any presidential electors, and therefore cannot field candidates for president and vice president who are eligible to appear on the ballot," the complaint argues.

Stein was last on the ballot in Wisconsin in 2016 .

West is running with Melina Abdullah representing the "Justice for All" party. The complaint against West and Abdullah, filed earlier this month, argues their declarations of candidacy were not properly filed.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission's next meeting is set for Aug. 27.

A Democratic National Committee employee filed both challenges.

Milwaukee resident David Strange filed both complaints, as an individual and also in his capacity as the DNC's deputy operations director for Wisconsin.

The Green Party was approved for Wisconsin ballot access earlier this year.

The elections commission approved a request in February to allow Green Party candidates to appear on the 2024 election ballots.

In 2020, the Wisconsin Supreme Court kept Green Party presidential candidates Howie Hawkins and running mate Angela Walker off the ballot — upholding a deadlocked elections commission, which could not agree on whether to put the candidates on the ballot because of improper paperwork.

But, the complaint notes, the party has no registered state-level candidates or elected officials, meaning it cannot nominate 10 presidential electors under the requirements of state law.

Stein received more than 30,000 votes in Wisconsin's 2016 election.

Republican former President (then-candidate) Donald Trump won Wisconsin by about 23,000 votes in 2016.

Stein picked up more than 31,000 votes in Wisconsin in 2016.

The exact impact of a third–party candidate in Wisconsin, where statewide elections are often decided by less than a percentage point, however, is difficult to predict .

Neither Stein nor West are polling well in Wisconsin.

A Marquette University Law School poll released Aug. 1 showed Vice President Kamala Harris leading the race in Wisconsin with support of 45% of voters, trailed slightly by Trump at 43%. Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., pulled 8% of support, with Stein and Libertarian Chase Oliver each at 1%. West came in at 0%.

RFK Jr.'s support has also dropped.

Kennedy polled at 16% in a January Marquette poll, then dropped to 13% in April before coming in at 8% earlier this month.

Kennedy launched his presidential campaign in April 2023 but in October dropped his Democratic bid and re-entered the race as an independent.

During its Aug. 27 meeting, the elections commission will consider and grant ballot access to candidates and hear any challenges filed to independent presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How Democrats are seeking to block 3rd party candidates from Wisconsin's ballot