A Wisconsin Republican Looks Back With Regret at Voter ID and Redistricting Fights – ProPublica
Twitter Facebook Email
Republican efforts to impose voter ID laws and redraw election districts both wound up in federal court. Dale Schultz ended 30 years in state politics lamenting the recent displays of partisanship.
Republican efforts to impose voter ID laws and redraw election districts both wound up in federal court. Dale Schultz ended 30 years in state politics lamenting the recent displays of partisanship.
by Topher Sanders ProPublica, July 3, 2017, 2:37 p.m.
Dale Schultz, a Republican, served in the Wisconsin Legislature for more than 30 years, from 1983 to 2015.His Senate district is located in south Wisconsin, much of it rural farmland. Schultz was considered a moderate, and so much of what happened in state politics near the end of his tenure dismayed him: partisan fights over the rights of unions, a gubernatorial recall election, and claims of partisan Republican gerrymandering that will now be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court.
And then there was the prolonged entanglement over voting rights in the state who could vote, when they could vote, how they could vote. In the face of years of political combat and federal court fights, the legislature ultimately adopted a vast array of changes to election laws. Among them:
Voters would have to produce certain types of identification.
Early voting was reduced.
Restrictions on absentee balloting were implemented.
Time frames for how long people had to be residing in the state before they could vote were lengthened.
Republicans hailed the moves as overdue steps toward improving the integrity of state voting. Democrats cried foul, alleging a conspiracy to suppress votes among people of color and others inclined to vote Democratic.
Schulz was in office for the birth of the efforts to tighten voting procedures and often present for the Republican deliberations about their aims. Schultz, before leaving office, voted for the initial voting measures, a decision he came to regret. He opposed some of the subsequent measures as litigation over the issues made their way through the courts and his career wound down.
ProPublica had a rare interview with Schultz recently about the issue of voting in Wisconsin. The Q&A follows. It has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
ProPublica: You were initially in favor of Republican efforts to tighten voting and reconfigure districts. What first appealed to you about those ideas?
Dale Schultz: Well, the blunt truth is, as a partisan politician, your knee-jerk reaction is to protect the standing of your party because that solidifies your power to accomplish what you want to do. My good friend and former colleague, Tim Cullen, also served as Senatemajority leader but on the Democrat side, and weve said wereboth guilty of voting for redistricting maps which were politically motivated. This isnt a one party sin. It happens on both sides, and thats why we introduced our bipartisan bill to change how we redistrict in Wisconsin.Im happy the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take up the issue this fall.
TheRepublicans pushing the voter ID effort cited voter fraud as a concern and a reason to tighten voting rules and requirements. Did anyone ever show you compelling evidence of that?
No, in fact, quite the opposite. Some of the most conservative people in our caucus actually took the time to involve themselves in election-watching and came back and told other caucus members that, Im sorry, I didnt see it.
In terms of voting laws, look, I dont have a fundamentalproblem with having to show a photo ID in order to vote, but what I do have a problem with are the severe restrictions on what kind of photo ID is allowed and also using these laws to suppress the votes of specific groups.
We had more than 1,000 people watching the vote on Election Day. If millions of people voted illegally, we would have seen some sign of it. Read the story.
You need to understand, I come from the old school of the Institutionof the Senate. When I was coming up through the ranks, and even when I was majority leader, I put great stock and respect into the chairmanship system. When you were given a chair of a committee, you were expected to put the good of the Senateabove all else. So when the chair of the Senate elections committee says theres a problem with voter fraud in the state, and the committee passes a bill out, you take them at their word.
But thats on me.
Anyway, I ultimately ordered my staff to launch our own investigation and come up with three concrete examples of voter fraud in Wisconsin. Well, guess what? They couldnt do it, and you need to understand the time, I had graduates from the University of Wisconsin journalism school on staff whod worked for national publications. But we did come up with two examples. One was a Republican legislative staffer whod voted in the Madison area as well as back in her hometown in the same election. The other was the estranged wife of a Republican. Thats it, and both examples were on the Republican side.
Did you ever raise the lack of evidence with your Republican colleagues?
Our caucuses were quite raucous. Our meetings and how we dealt with one another was blunt.
I asked my colleagues to show me three specific examples, and all I got was a bunch of hand-wringing and drama-filled speeches about the buses of Democrats being brought up from Chicago. I said, Show me where that was ever prosecuted or even charges brought. It was crickets. Nobodycould give me an answer, and that was both an eye-opening and sad moment for me because I think it finally hit me that time-honoredtradition of the Institution of the Senate was all but dead.
You know, I had, I think its fair to say, a reputation for challenging the thinking of our caucuses. But if you find yourself in a situation where youredissenting too often, pretty soon people go, Well, he never agrees with us, hes not really one of us. Were not going to bother to listen. So, you learn to pick your spots and try to make a difference where you can.
I want to be clear. I dont want to cast myself as some sort of superhero. Look, Im a politician. I was for 30 years. Inherently, that means that you compromise and that everybodys hands get a little dirty as they try to work out a solution that is the best for people.
People were very frank and this is not a game for the timid. People were very emotional, but you know when it comes to casting votes, people know that once the decision is made, the team pretty much sticks together.
Talk about why you later came to regret ever voting for the measures.
I voted for the first voter law bill, and then I did what Id done since I first got elected in 1982; I went out and did my regular scheduled district office hours. It took all of my first stop to realize I didnt do my homework. I had town and village clerks coming up to me saying, Dale, are you nuts? Do you realize how restricting voting hours and early voting and absentee voting is going to affect how people can vote let alone making our jobs all the harder? They also made it clear that there was no voter fraud happening that they were aware of. Because of the feedback from my constituents, I voted no on the subsequent bills.
I enjoyed all the people I represented and it was a great honor. But there were occasions where people said, Dale, Ive heard your explanation on what youve done and why youve done it, but I think you got this wrong. And I think voter ID was one of those.
A long time ago my father told me on the farm, if you happen to, when youre out in the pasture, put your foot in a cowpie, dont sit there and explain why you stepped in it, just take it out. And its been my experience politically, that when you do that, and you explain the reasons, people tend to see that as a politician evolving and thinking and listening, and I think most people are hungry for that. And theyre supportive of that, as long as it doesnt become a daily flip-flop.
The numbers are in from the 2016 election in Wisconsin. The state surprised the pollsters by going for Trump. And now theres likely to be a long debate and examination of whether the voter ID and other measures played a role in that outcome. Any early thoughts?
Oh, yeah, all of these things have an impact. Even just constantly keeping up a steady drumbeat of claims about election fraud has an impact. It motivates a base. How big an impact probably varies from state to state. In very close elections, even seemingly small impacts can have great consequences.
You got out of elective office after 32 years. Why?
Well, because I like to think Im old enough and wise enough to know that theres more to life than politics, as important as its been to me and as enjoyable as it has been to me for all those years. Then again, its not that I havent been bothered by the changes Id seen around me or just the simple reality that it was less fun than it used to be as people stopped thinking and became more Pavlovian.
Topher covers racial inequality for ProPublica.
Visit link:
A Wisconsin Republican Looks Back With Regret at Voter ID and Redistricting Fights - ProPublica
- Here are the likely Democratic and Republican contenders for Wisconsin governor in 2026 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- 'Shirts and Skins': How one Republican bridged the gap to pass Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' - Fox News - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- This Republican senator wants Congress to have more oversight of D.C. - The Washington Post - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- An Inland Empire Republican lawmaker wants to update rules for immigrant workers. Will Trump listen? - CalMatters - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- RAW: Republican Rep. Comer plans to move "quickly" with issuing subpoena to DOJ on Epstein, Clintons - WAAY 31 News - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Congressman Flood named chair of the Republican Main Street Caucus in Congress - KTIV - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- House Republican introduces companion bill to end China's buying of American farmland - Fox News - July 24th, 2025 [July 24th, 2025]
- Its really theft: the Republican plan to redraw Texas maps and grab more power - The Guardian - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Trump Flips Out at Republican Lawmaker Exposing the Party on Epstein - Yahoo Home - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Republican divide over Fed renovation grows - Semafor - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Opinion | Heres the most baffling part of the Republican budget bill - The Washington Post - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Exclusive | NY Young Republican Club urges Congress to disqualify Mamdani from NYC mayoral race accuses him of giving US enemies aid and comfort -... - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- A Fourth Candidate, And First Republican, Ruth Bittner, Joins The Race To Fill Late Rep. Hortmans Vacant House Seat - Patch - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Republican Rep. Slams Mike Johnson Over Epstein Files As House Is Shut Until September To Block Vote - Latin Times - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Hernando County Republican Blaise Ingoglia sworn in as Florida CFO - Creative Loafing Tampa Bay - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Trump Flips Out at Republican Lawmaker Exposing the Party on Epstein - The New Republic - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Sarah McBride's first bill just passed Congress & not one Republican voted against it - Yahoo Home - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Pallone slams Republican cuts to beach replenishment funding: 'Theyre pulling the sand out from under us' - Insider NJ - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- Murray, UW Medicine & Harborview CEOs Sound Alarm on How Republican Medicaid Cuts Will Devastate Hospitals, Threaten Specialty Care People in... - July 22nd, 2025 [July 22nd, 2025]
- DAVID MARCUS: Stephen Colberts character is the latest never-Trump Republican to fall - Fox News - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Inside the House Republican-led plot to defy Trump on the Epstein files - Axios - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- One WA Republican chisels at the MAGA wall on immigration - The Seattle Times - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Republican rumblings: on Trump and the Epstein files - The Hindu - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- What Musk's fracture with Trump means for GOPs future: Beating heart of the Republican Party - Fox News - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Whats in the Republican bill cutting $9 billion from public broadcasting and foreign aid - Hot Springs Sentinel Record - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Republican Miller, Democrat Berry discuss priorities ahead of Aug. 5 special election for 20th House district - Bay to Bay News - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Letters to the editor: Republican debt solution, response to Epstein - Macomb Daily - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Republican lawmakers trying to repeal governor's 400-year funding veto - WKOW - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Jill Biden aide invokes Fifth to decline testimony in Republican investigation - ABC News - July 20th, 2025 [July 20th, 2025]
- Tensions over Epstein files complicate Republican plan to vote on cuts bill - The Guardian - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Jill Biden aide invokes Fifth to decline testimony in Republican investigation - AP News - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- 2004 to 2024, Part Two: When Each State Was at its Most Republican - Center For Politics - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Republican Scott Jensen to run for governor again in 2026, says state budgeting has been 'irresponsible' - 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- What's in the Republican bill cutting $9 billion from public broadcasting and foreign aid - yourvalley.net - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- They took it to the next level: Emmer breaks down the Republican crypto rebellion - Semafor - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Whats in the Republican bill cutting $9 billion from public broadcasting and foreign aid - WOWK 13 News - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Republican Tax Bill Is a Losing Deal for Gamblers - The New York Times - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Mike Johnson Reacts to Republican Blowback Over Jeffrey Epstein - Newsweek - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- JD Vance urges Republican voters to 'talk to your friends' about the 'big, beautiful bill' - NBC News - July 18th, 2025 [July 18th, 2025]
- Key Senate Republican thinks deal in the offing over FBI HQ location dispute - Politico - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Georgia's Raffensperger calls for return of donations after Republican donor accused of Ponzi scheme - Colorado Newsline - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Three Republican senators break with Trump to vote against codifying DOGE spending cuts - The Independent - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Moore taps Carroll County Republican, Army vet to head veterans department - Maryland Matters - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Key Senate Republican to meet with Trump on funding clawback request - Politico - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Gov. Kelly Ayotte vetoes Republican-backed bill aimed at banning certain books in schools - WMUR - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- The Republican senators to watch on cutting PBS, NPR and foreign aid funding - Axios - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- This small House Republican caucus held US stablecoin bill hostage until Trump cracked the whip - CryptoSlate - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Why more of Hobbs Arizona agency director nominees won Republican approval this year - KJZZ - July 16th, 2025 [July 16th, 2025]
- Homeland Security's Noem says in talks with five Republican-led states to build detention site - Reuters - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- 'Danger of Musks potential third party is [splitting] Republican votes: Tanden - ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Herridge to resign as West Virginia Republican chairman, focus on cabinet role - News and Sentinel - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Rep. Brendan Boyle: You need four Republican Senators to stand up and have the courage to vote, no - MSN - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- The Frederick County Republican Central Committee wants to appoint candidates for the upcoming municipal elections in Frederick. But the filing... - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- Raabe: On Monday, Remember The Greenwich Republican Party IS the National Republican Party - Greenwich Free Press - July 14th, 2025 [July 14th, 2025]
- 'Sacred Covenant' How the Paxton divorce rocks the bruising Republican Senate primary in Texas - Fox News - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Wisconsin businessman and Navy SEAL Bill Berrien launches Republican campaign for governor - WPR - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Redrawing Texas: the Republican plan to stack the decks for the midterms - The Guardian - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- After recent vetoes, it's time for DeWine to restore Republican Party | Letters - Yahoo News - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Exclusive | The Republican Strategy to Win Without Trump on the Ballot - WSJ - The Wall Street Journal - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- The Big Bad Republican Bill Wasnt Regressive Enough for the Anti-Tax Crusaders - Mother Jones - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Can the National Education Association Win Over Republican Members? - Education Week - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Texas keeps getting slammed by extreme weather catastrophes, but its Republican rulers remain contemptuous of climate science - Northwest Progressive... - July 12th, 2025 [July 12th, 2025]
- Exclusive | The Republican Strategy to Win Without Trump on the Ballot - WSJ - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Another Republican enters race to succeed Andy Barr in U.S. House - Kentucky Lantern - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Republican tax and spending cut megabill expected to take billions from Oregon Health Plan - Oregon Capital Chronicle - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Up Close with Bill Ritter: Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa on race for NYC mayor; Democrats try to unite behind Zohran Mamdani - ABC7 New York - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Exclusive / Moreno set to replace Tillis on Republican whip team - Semafor - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Chairman of Randall County Republican Party arrested for election fraud - KVII - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Republican Backs Push to Repeal Part of Trump Bill Days After Voting For It - Newsweek - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Republican The View Co-Host Admits to Crying Backstage at Least Half a Dozen Times - The Daily Beast - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Wisconsin Republican compares himself to Trump as he launches his bid for governor - AP News - July 10th, 2025 [July 10th, 2025]
- Opinion | Jeff Flake: The Republican Fever Must Break - The New York Times - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Two women accuse Republican state lawmaker of making unwanted sexual advances. He denies the allegations. - The Colorado Sun - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- 1988: A year that echoes in Georgia Republican politics to this day - SaportaReport - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Manassas Republican Party Headquarters vandalized over July 4 weekend - Washington Times - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Republican House leader Windschitl announces campaign for Congress in western Iowa - thegazette.com - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Public Safety Should Trump Politics; The High Cost of Republican Posturing - Progress Texas - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Georgia Republican says grandchildren are safe after being at Texas summer camp that flooded - The Hill - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- Two women accuse Republican State Representative of inappropriate sexual behavior - KUSA.com - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]
- New York Times columnist admits that Trump is a 'normie Republican' - Fox News - July 8th, 2025 [July 8th, 2025]