Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin
SOURCE OF APPEAL:
COURT: Circuit
COUNTY: Dane
JUDGE: Ann M. Peacock
JUSTICES:
ANN WALSH BRADLEY, J., delivered the majority opinion of the
Court, in which DALLET, KAROFSKY, and PROTASIEWICZ, JJ., joined.
REBECCA GRASSL BRADLEY, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which
ZIEGLER, C.J., and HAGEDORN, J., joined.
NOT PARTICIPATING:
ATTORNEYS:
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2024 WI 32
NOTICE
This opinion is subject to further
editing and modification. The final
version will appear in the bound
volume of the official reports.
No. 2024AP164
(L.C. No. 2023CV1900)
Plaintiffs-Appellants,
Intervenor-Appellant, FILED
v.
JUL 5, 2024
Wisconsin Elections Commission,
Samuel A. Christensen
Clerk of Supreme Court
Defendant-Respondent,
Intervenor-Respondent.
claim.2
Commission, 2022 WI 64, 403 Wis. 2d 607, 976 N.W.2d 519, that
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Wis. Stat. § 6.87 precludes the use of secure drop boxes for the
boxes.
use of ballot drop boxes. For the reasons set forth below, we
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that Wis. Stat. § 6.87(4)(b)1. allows the use of drop boxes and
box claim.
principles."
¶9 WEC and the legislature moved to dismiss the
upon which relief may be granted.5 The circuit court denied the
agreed with WEC and the legislature and granted dismissal with
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403 Wis. 2d 607, 976 N.W.2d 519, that Wis. Stat. § 6.87
II
City of Waukesha Bd. of Rev., 2021 WI 89, ¶11, 399 Wis. 2d 696,
967 N.W.2d 460. A complaint survives a motion to dismiss for
¶4, 386 Wis. 2d 515, 926 N.W.2d 756; Data Key Partners v.
Permira Advisers, LLC, 2014 WI 86, ¶21, 356 Wis. 2d 665, 849
N.W.2d 693.
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Brown Cnty. Taxpayers Ass'n, 2022 WI 13, ¶19, 400 Wis. 2d 781,
III
to uphold Teigen.
397 Wis. 2d 431, 960 N.W.2d 384 (citing State ex rel. Kalal v.
Cir. Ct. for Dane Cnty., 2004 WI 58, ¶45, 271 Wis. 2d 633, 681
N.W.2d 110). If the meaning of the statute is plain, we need
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majority continued:
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"the city clerk, town clerk, village clerk and the executive
"municipal clerk" leads to the conclusion that the two terms are
See
9 also Wis. Stat. §§ 6.15(2)(bm), 6.28(1)(b),
6.29(2)(a), 6.30(4), 6.32(3), 6.35(3), 6.45(1m), 6.47(2),
6.50(1), 6.55(2)(cm), 6.56(4), 6.86(1)(a)2., 6.86(3)(c),
6.87(3)(a), 6.87(4)(b)4., 6.88(1), 6.97(3)(b), 7.41(1),
7.53(1)(b), 7.53(2)(d), 8.10(6)(c), 12.03(1), 12.03(2)(a)2.,
12.035(3)(c).
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Wis. 2d 891, 902, 541 N.W.2d 229 (Ct. App. 1995)). Had the
done so, and the wide usage of the term "clerk's office"
DOT, 2021 WI 52, ¶32, 397 Wis. 2d 362, 960 N.W.2d 17 ("The
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is the case even if the drop box is in a location other than the
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noted that drop boxes are not alternate absentee ballot sites
location not only where voters may return absentee ballots, but
construct for alternate sites" while not doing the same for drop
boxes has nothing to say about the legality of drop boxes. See
interpretation.
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77, ¶42, 336 Wis. 2d 318, 801 N.W.2d 316 ("We decline to read
into the statute words the legislature did not see fit to
write.").
Teigen.
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2020 WI 2, ¶66 n.12, 389 Wis. 2d 669, 937 N.W.2d 37. Such a
Johnson, 2023 WI 39, ¶¶19-20, 407 Wis. 2d 195, 990 N.W.2d 174.
¶71, 373 Wis. 2d 390, 891 N.W.2d 144. Indeed, "[w]e do more
damage to the rule of law by obstinately refusing to admit
Wis. Stat. § 6.84 and the "skeptical" gloss with which the court
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sets forth:
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memos" allowing drop boxes, Teigen, 403 Wis. 2d 607, ¶53, the
must interpret it, and after we do, then we must ensure that it
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instance.13
47; cf. Kimble v. Marvel Entertainment, LLC, 576 U.S. 446, 457
denied.
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that Wis. Stat. § 6.87(4)(b)1. allows the use of drop boxes and
box claim.
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Commission, this court held "ballot drop boxes are illegal under
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site." 2022 WI 64, ¶4, 403 Wis. 2d 607, 976 N.W.2d 519. Three
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2022 WI 57, ¶55, 403 Wis. 2d 1, 976 N.W.2d 263 (Rebecca Grassl
Wis. 2d 481, 504, 579 N.W.2d 654 (1998)), and "permits society
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108, ¶169, 245 Wis. 2d 689, 629 N.W.2d 223 (Abrahamson, C.J.,
dissenting)).
181 Wis. 2d 410, 442, 511 N.W.2d 591 (1994) (Abrahamson, J.,
N.W.2d 174 (quoting State v. Young, 2006 WI 98, ¶51 n.16, 294
Wis. 2d 1, 717 N.W.2d 729). Predictably, the former dissenters,
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who now find themselves in the majority, abuse the rule of law,
preferred outcomes.
67, ¶45, 281 Wis. 2d 300, 697 N.W.2d 417). According to the
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Supreme Court, this court has said stare decisis should receive
Wis. 2d 300, ¶45 (citing Hilton v. S.C. Pub. Rys. Comm'n, 502
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also Gamble v. United States, 587 U.S. 678, 723 (2019) (Thomas,
serves to prove it. See majority op., ¶47 n.13. The purpose of
is. Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558, 592 (2003) (Scalia, J.,
dissenting).
Keidl, 2023 WI 27, ¶88, 406 Wis. 2d 542, 988 N.W.2d 606 (Rebecca
(citing Manitowoc Co., 379 Wis. 2d 189, ¶81 n.5 (Rebecca Grassl
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Wis. 2d 220, 682 N.W.2d 405; see Progressive N. Ins. Co., 281
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II
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43; see also id., ¶46. That's a stretch. The word "skeptical"
statement did not exist, the court would have decided Teigen the
absentee voting:
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N.W.2d 153; Antonin Scalia & Bryan A. Garner, Reading Law: The
the statement.
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that itself does not explicitly direct that the statutes should
III
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593 (1916)) ("Less than a year after enactment [of the precursor
Wis. 299, 69 N.W.2d 235 (1955) (taking for granted the law was
drop boxes.
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municipal clerk."
argument.
Health Care Servs., Inc., 2000 WI 7, ¶17, 232 Wis. 2d 587, 605
N.W.2d 515).
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majority op., ¶20. Teigen did no such thing. That case held
office.
statute for the use of alternate sites says nothing about drop
boxes because "drop boxes are already allowed" under Wis. Stat.
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rewrite the law more to its liking, see Justice Ann Walsh
omitted).
majority's opinion, this case is not just about drop boxes. The
Wis. 2d 607, ¶63 (citing EPA v. EME Homer City Generation, L.P.,
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531 U.S. 457, 468 (2001); that is, a reasonable reader assumes
else.
IV
Johnson, 407 Wis. 2d 195, ¶20. Nor has any evidence emerged
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¶77 The only thing that has changed since Teigen is the
concurring).
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J., dissenting).
members of the majority in this case make their will the law,
unchecked power to say what the law shall be, rather than what
have nothing to fear from the judiciary alone, but would have
every thing to fear from its union with either of the other
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suspicion.
and one they hope will aid their preferred political party.
I dissent.
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