Voters in Wisconsin have approved two Republican-backed election integrity ballot initiatives ahead of the critical November elections.
The measures would change how the battleground state runs elections, according to The Associated Press.
The swing-state voters considered one measure to ban the private funding of elections.
Another cracks down on which individuals can perform election-related tasks.
The AP projected at the time of writing that the first and second questions received 52% and 55.5% support, respectively.
Question 1 targets “Zuckerbucks.”
Zuckerbucks is a reference to the massive amount of funds Meta/Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg poured into election offices across the country in 2020.
The funds, which were pumped into Democrat groups in Wisconsin and other states, were funneled through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
The Center for Technology and Civic Life (CTCL), a left-wing nonprofit, received roughly $350 million from the initiative to help with the administration of elections during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The CTCL granted Wisconsin $10 million for its election efforts last cycle, according to NBC News.
In Wisconsin, Joe Biden “defeated” President Donald Trump by less than one point.
Trump had won the battleground state against Hillary Clinton in 2016 by a similar margin.
Conservatives argue that “Zuckerbucks” were used to unfairly boost Democrat turnout in 2020.
The funds largely went to left-leaning urban areas.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 27 states have outlawed or curbed such private funding in elections since the 2020 cycle.
Question 2 would prohibit individuals from carrying out election-related duties unless they are an “election official designated by law.”
Today is the day we protect Wisconsin elections from Zuckerbucks and out-of-state dark money.
Vote YES on Questions 1 & 2! pic.twitter.com/vDw0aCRgZf
— Wisconsin GOP (@WisGOP) April 2, 2024
The state GOP, along with Wisconsin Republican lawmakers like Sen. Ron Johnson and Rep. Bryan Steil, encouraged voters to support both ballot initiatives on Tuesday.
April 2nd is our chance to end Zuckerbucks in Wisconsin for good. @RonJohnsonWI knows every vote matters in keeping our elections safe.
Vote YES on Questions 1 and 2 to keep out-of-state left-wing billionaires from infiltrating our election offices. pic.twitter.com/cHEvEFPHkb
— Wisconsin GOP (@WisGOP) March 25, 2024
Conversely, the Wisconsin Democratic Party opposes the measures, according to NBC News.
Democrat Gov. Tony Evers had previously vetoed Republican-backed legislation that sought the same provisions.
According to NBC News, the move prompted Republican lawmakers to put the measures before Wisconsin voters instead.
Wisconsin will hold two consequential elections in November — another matchup between Trump and Biden, as well as a Senate race that could determine the control of the upper chamber.
An Emerson College poll released on March 21 found Trump leading the president by four points in the battleground state.
Meanwhile, Republican Eric Hovde is down by three points against Democrat Sen. Tammy Baldwin.
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