Wisconsin's Elections Chief Says Recall Elections Should Be in May, June

In documents released Friday, the head of the state Government Accountability Board confirmed there are enough valid signatures gathered to force a recall election of four state senators, including Van Wanggaard (R-Racine).

In the documents released in advance of Monday's GAB meeting, Director Kevin Kennedy recommended that all recall elections — for the four Senate districts, governor and lieutenant governor — be held on the same day.

Despite formal challenges filed with the GAB, officials with the agency that oversees elections in Wisconsin reviewed the almost 24,000 signatures in that race and found that even with a good number of them excluded for various reasons, recall supporters still have more than enough to force an election.

When that election will be held remains up in the air but Kennedy and his staff are recommending that all recall primary elections be held on May 15, followed by the general election on June 12.

Those dates still need to be approved by the Government Accountability Board, which meets Monday in Madison, and a Dane County judge.

Wanggaard told Patch Friday afternoon that whatever happens, he's ready.

"If we're going to have an election, then let's have one," he said. "I'm ready and willing to stand on my record."

So far, only John Lehman, whom Wanggaard defeated in the November 2010 election, has formally declared himself a challenger.

There were 22,969 signatures verified as valid in the effort to recall Wanggaard, according to the GAB document. Wanggaard filed challenges for some signatures, including:

• 2,404 signatures were done before the recall petitions were registered;
• 913 signatures lacked a date;
• 1,217 signatures couldn't match an address;
• 13 signatures were from ineligible voters;
• 1,733 signatures are on pages not properly certified;
• 632 signatures appear to "be in the same handwriting;"
• 137 signatures appeared more than once;
• 12,935 signatures are from people who live outside the new 21st District.

Patch has not received a return message from Graeme Zielinski, communications director, for the state Democratic Party. In an e-mail to the media, GAB spokesman Reid Magney said the agency would not comment on the meeting materials.

"GAB staff will not be commenting on or giving interviews about the materials/recommendations prior to Monday’s meeting," he wrote.