Retiring state senator Kathy Bernier (R – Chippewa Falls) has spoken out on two bills vetoed by Governor Tony Evers related to election reform, stating that the Governor had put partisan politics above meaningful election reform.

The bills in question, Senate bills 935 sought to renumber and amend parts of the state code, while Senate Bill 937 sought to amend and create new portions of state election law specifically related to the definition of indefinitely confined voter and automatic receipt of an absentee ballot.

Along with Senator Bernier, Senate Bill 935 was introduced in the Senate by Robert L. Cowles (R – Green Bay), Alberta Darling (R – River Hills), Duey Stroebel (R – Saukville), Mary MFelzkowski (R – Irma), and Howard L. Marklein (R – Spring Green). Senate Bill 937 was introduced by Bernier, Darling, Felzkowski, Marklein, and Majority Caucus Chair Van H. Vanguard (R – Racine). Speaking in a press release, Bernier expressed her disappointment at the Governor’s decision to veto the legislation.

“I am disappointed by Governor Evers’ veto of two of my elections bills today,” she said. “To be frank, I’m not sure he even read the bills, as his veto message displayed a complete lack of understanding. Any other interpretation would mean that he is again putting partisanship ahead of good policy with today’s actions, callously joining the national Democrat strategy of lying about bills that will help the Wisconsin Elections Commission make decisions by calling them ‘voter suppression.’ Bernier, a former town clerk, broke with her party in December over ongoing claims by others that the 2020 election had been stolen, a claim Bernier said she rejected. Regarding the bills vetoed recently by Evers, Bernier had more to say.

“Using the non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau’s report on the 2020 election as a guide, we drafted a series of bills that dealt with each of the audit’s recommendations. Senate Bill 935 focused spe- cifically on banning third party funding for election administration, provide better oversight for voting in nursing homes, and ending the practice of ‘curing’ ballots among other important aspects. Sadly, Gov. Evers voted this bill. As part of his explanation for why, he claimed that an absentee ballot could be thrown out due to a missing ZIP code. However, the bill’s language explicitly states that a ZIP code’s presence is unnecessary,” she said, then shifting to Senate Bill 937.

“Senate Bill 937 represented an effort to clear up confusion around the use of the 'indefinitely confined' exemption for receiving absentee ballots. In 2020 the process was abused wittingly by some Democrat county clerks and unwittingly by tens of thousands of regular Wisconsin voters. The bill would have returned this practice to its original purpose by protecting those whose long-term physical condition would not allow them to vote in person at the polls. I worked closely with the disability community to craft language that clarified and tightened the use of the exemption while ensuring it worked well for those who truly needed it. Unfortunately, Gov. Evers again chose partisanship over good policy and vetoed this legislation,” she said, then summing up her disappointment at the Governor’s action.

“These two bills represented common sense reforms that would have been supported by a wide spectrum of Wisconsinites. Again, I am disappointed in today’s results but am hopeful that these reforms can become law under Wisconsin’s next Governor.”

Bernier is retiring from the Senate this fall, with Assembly Representative Jesse James among those announcing his candidacy for the seat in an earlier press conference. Bernier replaced Terry Moulton on his retirement in the late 2010s.