The News: WILL unveiled a new report, “The WILL of The People: A Roadmap to Enforce Wisconsin’s Citizenship Voting Amendment,” which outlines a clear process to audit Wisconsin’s voter rolls using existing state and federal data. The report offers an important perspective to both elected officials and voters, ahead of the Wisconsin statewide elections in 2026.
In 2021, WILL conducted a comprehensive and highly respected audit of Wisconsin’s 2020 election. While that report addressed many areas of election administration, one key question remained unanswered: the extent of non-citizen voting. This new roadmap directly addresses that gap, providing policymakers with the tools to enforce the will of voters.
The Quotes: WILL Research Director, Will Flanders, stated, “Last November, 71% of Wisconsin voters approved a constitutional amendment making clear that only U.S. citizens may vote in our elections. Now it’s incumbent on state leaders to follow through and enforce it. Our plan gives policymakers a practical, common-sense roadmap to ensure the will of the voters is respected and Wisconsin’s elections remain secure.”
WILL Associate Counsel, Nathalie Burmeister, stated, “Wisconsin’s Constitution now clearly says that only U.S. citizens can vote. Even if non-citizen voting is rare, every unlawful ballot dilutes the voice of lawful voters and undermines confidence in our elections. Policymakers have a duty to enforce this amendment, and a real audit is the only way to do that.”
Additional Background: In November 2024, by an overwhelming 71% margin, Wisconsin voters approved a constitutional amendment providing that only United States citizens are eligible to vote in elections at every level—national, state, and local. This change reflects a growing concern over the integrity of voter rolls and the potential for non-citizen participation in elections, whether intentional or accidental.
Our Call to Action: We propose a clear, five-step process for conducting the audit, along with the necessary follow-up measures, to ensure accuracy, safeguard lawful voters’ rights, and maintain public confidence in Wisconsin’s elections. These steps are designed to identify and remove any ineligible voters while incorporating multiple safeguards to prevent potential errors.
Step 1. Compare the Statewide Voter Registration Database to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) database(s) of non-citizens who possess Wisconsin Drivers’ Licenses or Wisconsin state IDs.
Step 2. Check the matching names against the Department of Homeland Security SAVE Program to confirm non-citizen status.
Step 3. Manually review the confirmed names to eliminate any errors apparent after the computer matching.
Step 4. Notify the individuals identified as non-citizens and provide an opportunity to correct any error.
Step 5. Remove Confirmed Non-Citizens from the Voter Registration List.
Who Can Act: As the head of the Executive Branch, Governor Tony Evers has a constitutional duty to enforce the new amendment. If he refuses, the Legislature can step in and direct the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau (LAB) to conduct an independent audit using its statutory authority to review records maintained by state agencies.
Iowa Audit Demonstrates Path Forward: Before the 2024 election, the State of Iowa conducted an audit of its voter rolls and identified 277 confirmed non-citizens—35 of whom cast ballots. Importantly, Iowa’s audit process closely mirrors the five-step process WILL is proposing for Wisconsin. If Wisconsin’s numbers are similar, that could translate to hundreds of unlawful registrations and dozens of unlawful votes.
Moreover, finding non-citizen voters on Wisconsin’s voter rolls will signal a larger problem and require further analysis, such as a complete comparison between the SAVE database and the Wisconsin voter rolls. Although this process is not presently available, WILL’s report builds the case that such a process is necessary in Wisconsin and nationwide.
Federal Engagement Adds Weight: Earlier this summer, the U.S. Department of Justice requested information from the Wisconsin Elections Commission regarding its voter-roll maintenance practices. In response, WEC described a process that flags non-citizen registrations only when formally challenged or reported by law enforcement, and records are then marked ineligible on an ad hoc basis.
WILL followed up with DOJ in August, highlighting that this reactive approach—paired with inconsistencies in DMV matching and the handling of inactive or ineligible registrants—underscores the need for a proactive audit process along the lines of what Iowa has already done.
Read More:
- Report, September 2025
- DOJ Letter to WEC, June 2025
- Our Letter to DOJ, August 2025
Will Flanders
Research Director
Nathalie Burmeister
Associate Counsel