Voter confidence in election results is key to our democracy.
But Marquette Law School polling has found nearly two-thirds of Wisconsin Republicans were not confident in the 2020 election results compared to more than 90% of Democrats who were.
In a TMJ4 Lighthouse report, Chief Political Reporter Charles Benson looks at a new bi-partisan effort launched Tuesday to win over doubters of election integrity in Wisconsin.
Tammy Ayers and her husband Lee say they never miss a vote, elections are important to them.
They have no doubt their ballots will be counted correctly. "None whatsoever," said Tammy Ayers. "Never had that doubt."
Mandela Barnes has seen his share of election battles. "The best way to ensure trust in an election is to participate in it," said the former Democratic Lt Governor.
TMJ4 caught up with Barnes and Republican JB Van Hollen at Walker's Point Anodyne Coffee to talk about election integrity.
The former Wisconsin attorney general was asked if he worries about people losing trust in the election system.
"I do worry", said Van Hollen, which is why we've banded together."
The two former elected leaders are on opposite political parties but have teamed with the newly formed Democracy Defense Project to promote safe and secure elections especially when they are close in battleground Wisconsin.
Barnes narrowly lost by one percentage point in the 2022 U.S. Senate race and Van Hollen narrowly won his statewide election by less a half percent in 2006.
"Out of my deep respect for the existing integrity of elections here in Wisconsin", said Barnes. "I understood that the process was safe and secure regardless of how narrow that margin was."
Wisconsin has seen its share of challenges to vote totals.
Donald Trump paid for a partial recount in two Democratic counties, Milwaukee, and Dane after losing Wisconsin in 2020 to Joe Biden.
Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein paid for a 2016 statewide recount after Trump beat Hilary Clinton.
Neither recount changed the outcome of the election nor raised any cause for concern.
Van Hollen says he has confidence in the poll workers and the state’s election system
"If you want to affect the system and you want to affect it positively", said Van Hollen. "You need to have faith in the system you need to turn out to vote."
Lee Ayres knows his candidate will not always win but he trusts democracy will with all the voting checks and balances.
"I think there are systems that set up", said Ayers. "Therefore I think there's no way my vote can be stolen."
The Democracy Defense Project was launched in multiple states with a mission, "to serve as a counterweight to attempts to undermine and sow distrust in election integrity. "
The Wisconsin effort also includes former Wisconsin Democratic Party chairman Mike Tate and former Republican Congressman Scott Klug.
More of TMJ4's Charles Benson's interview with Mandela Barnes and JB Van Hollen can be found here.
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