The Wisconsin Supreme Court recently declined to clarify which legislative district boundary lines should be used for a potential recall election sought by supporters of former President Donald Trump against Republican Assembly speaker Robin Vos. Vos does not appear to have gathered enough valid signatures to force an election, but there was uncertainty regarding which maps should be used for any recall or special election before new maps take effect in November. The court’s unanimous order noted that previous maps were ruled unconstitutional and the new maps proposed by Democratic Governor Tony Evers were signed into law. This leaves open the question of which maps should be used for elections before November.
The responsibility of administering elections lies with the Wisconsin Elections Commission, not the Supreme Court. The commission faces an April 11 deadline to determine the validity of the recall petition and whether there are enough signatures to trigger an election. The commission’s decision can be appealed in court. Initial reviews suggested that there were not enough valid signatures collected from residents in Vos’ district, but his district lines are changing under the new legislative maps set to take effect in November. Vos is facing a recall primarily because of his refusal to impeach the state’s top elections official or proceed with efforts to decertify President Joe Biden’s 2020 victory in Wisconsin, which angered Trump and his supporters.
Vos has challenged the validity of thousands of signatures, declaring the recall effort as failed regardless of the district lines used. He has dismissed those targeting him as “whack jobs and morons.” Recognizing that the initial recall effort may have fallen short of the needed signatures, organizers have launched a second recall effort. Vos is considered the most powerful Republican in the GOP-led Legislature, having been first elected in 2004 and serving as Assembly speaker since 2013. Despite the legal uncertainties surrounding the recall efforts and the boundary lines, the situation remains contentious as supporters and opponents of Vos continue to clash over his actions and leadership in response to Trump’s accusations and challenges.
With the Wisconsin Supreme Court declining to provide further clarity on the boundary lines for the potential recall election against Assembly speaker Robin Vos, the focus shifts to the Wisconsin Elections Commission to determine the validity of the recall petition. The commission will need to decide whether enough valid signatures have been collected to trigger an election before the new legislative maps take effect in November. Vos’ refusal to impeach the state’s top elections official or pursue efforts to overturn Biden’s victory has fueled the recall efforts, leading to a contentious political environment as Trump supporters continue to challenge Vos’ leadership. The court’s order leaves key questions unanswered, including which maps should be used for any election before November, adding uncertainty to the ongoing recall efforts that have divided the state’s political landscape.
As the recall petition targeting Assembly speaker Robin Vos faces uncertainty regarding the boundary lines and validity of signatures, the Wisconsin Elections Commission plays a critical role in determining the next steps. Despite Vos’ dismissal of the recall organizers as “whack jobs and morons,” the commission must assess the signatures collected and decide whether an election should be triggered. Vos, the longest-serving Assembly speaker in state history, continues to face backlash for his actions in response to Trump’s accusations of election corruption, further complicating the political dynamics in Wisconsin. With a second recall effort already underway, the state remains in a state of political turmoil as supporters and opponents of Vos clash over his leadership and decisions, highlighting the deep divides within the Republican Party and the broader political landscape in Wisconsin.
