Rep. Gundrum’s Election Reform Bill Passes Assembly

For Immediate Release                                                                                              

June 22, 2021

Contact: Rep. Rick Gundrum                                                                                    

(608) 264-8486

Madison, WI – Rep. Rick Gundrum (R-Slinger) voted for a series of election reform bills earlier today. The bills included his own legislation, Assembly Bill 201/Senate Bill 204, which he authored with Senator Duey Stroebel (R-Saukville). Rep. Gundrum released the following statement after passage of the legislation:

“It is imperative that we restore integrity in our democracy. Wisconsin must lead on election security. I am happy to see Assembly Bill 201 pass today, as well as several other bills that protect our election system.

“AB 201 requires most Wisconsin voters to include a copy of their voter ID when they apply for an absentee ballot. It also limits automatic mailing of absentee ballots to a calendar year, rather than an indefinite period. Any non-governmental organizations that mail out absentee ballot applications must list the address of the municipal clerk’s office as the return address on the envelope. New penalties will be put in place to prevent election fraud.

“The bill ensures the indefinite confinement statute will not be abused. There are needed reforms to Wisconsin’s indefinitely confined law within the legislation. There is clarification that a pandemic is not justification to claim indefinite confinement. Voters who claim indefinite confinement will need to include a sworn statement that they are indefinitely confined due to disability or illness.

“Since the start of the debate over the bill, Democrats have pushed a narrative that Republicans are making it difficult for people to vote. Nothing could be further from the truth. There is a lack of uniformity in our absentee voting process. This bill will create uniformity, so that the people of Wisconsin can more easily understand our election laws. In closing, I hope Governor Tony Evers signs AB 201 and the other bills into law. Everyone will then operate on the same playing field.”

###