WISCONSIN — Even though the Democratic and Republican parties each have their presumed presidential nominees — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump — plenty of Wisconsinites will still head to the polls Tuesday, April 2. 

One referendum will ask voters if private donations and grants to help run an election should be banned.

In 2020, the Center for Tech and Civic Life provided $8.8 million in grants to help run elections in Wisconsin during the pandemic, including the state’s five largest cities. This was largely funded by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan.

Republicans said they are hoping voters will support that referendum. 

“We have a lot of local clerks, you know good folks that know what they’re doing, and unfortunately liberal outside groups have come in to try to influence local election processes,” Brian Schimming, Republican Party of Wisconsin chairman, said.

Democrats are urging voters to say “no” to that referendum.

“Elections in Wisconsin are safe, and they are secure, and Republicans are trying to cause confusion and provide less resources in order to administer our elections going forward,” State Rep. Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, said.

A second referendum would allow only election officials — as defined by state law — to run elections in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin law already lays out requirements for poll workers.

Those who oppose the referendum said it is too vague. Neither the referendum question nor the law define what tasks amount to carrying out an election.

Democrats are pushing voters to say “no.”

“Is this someone who’s down the hallway directing voters to an early vote site? Is it someone who has helped [transfer] ballots between an early vote or polling location and city hall, like law enforcement? It’s really unclear,” Neubauer said.

The GOP is hoping voters will vote “yes” to this referendum.

“Voters in Wisconsin shouldn’t have to wonder whether their local elections, [which] should be run by their elected local clerks are being run by an outside group that [is] being funded by millions of dollars of outside big money, liberal money from outside the state,” Schimming said.

Since the 2020 presidential election, Republicans have either banned or scaled back the use of private grants for elections in at least 27 states across the country.

Should these measures be approved by Tuesday’s voters, they will be in effect for the August primary and November general election later this year.