Wisconsin Governor Election: Voter Turnout

In a Wisconsin governor's race debate, Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany said his 2020 objections to certifying Wisconsin's election results stemmed from concerns over election funding from Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, often called "Zuckerbucks." Tiffany pointed to grants from the Zuckerberg-funded Center for Tech and Civic Life, which sent about $10 million to more than 200 Wisconsin communities during the pandemic, and to Milwaukee and Dane county guidance letting voters claim "indefinitely confined" status to get absentee ballots without photo ID. Democratic opponent David Crowley argued Tiffany identified no actual fraud and questioned whether he would certify the 2028 results; Tiffany said he would, "regardless of who the winner is."

U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, the Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor, said in a debate that private election grants funded by Mark Zuckerberg — dubbed "Zuckerbucks" by critics — drove his support for Trump's efforts to overturn Wisconsin's 2020 results. Tiffany also cited Milwaukee and Dane County clerks allowing "indefinitely confined" voters to skip photo ID requirements. Over 200 Wisconsin communities received roughly $10 million from the Zuckerberg-funded Center for Tech and Civic Life during the pandemic; voters later banned such private election funding via a 2024 constitutional amendment. Democratic opponent David Crowley argued Tiffany's explanation was inadequate and questioned his trustworthiness to certify 2028 results, though Tiffany pledged he would certify regardless of outcome.

Rep. Tom Tiffany, the Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor, said during a debate that private election funding dubbed "Zuckerbucks" — grants from a Mark Zuckerberg-backed nonprofit that helped Wisconsin communities run elections during the pandemic — was a key reason he objected to certifying the state's 2020 results and backed Trump's bid to disqualify absentee ballots from Milwaukee and Dane counties. Democratic opponent David Crowley called the explanation inadequate, noting Tiffany alleged no actual fraud, and questioned whether Tiffany could be trusted to certify 2028 results. Tiffany pledged he would certify the 2028 election regardless of outcome. Wisconsin voters later banned private election grant funding via constitutional amendment.

U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, the Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor, said during a debate that his 2020 objection to certifying Wisconsin's presidential election results stemmed from private election-administration grants funded by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, dubbed "Zuckerbucks" by critics. More than 200 Wisconsin communities received about $10 million from the Zuckerberg-backed Center for Tech and Civic Life during the pandemic. Tiffany also cited Milwaukee and Dane county clerks allowing "indefinitely confined" voters to skip photo ID for absentee ballots. He backed Trump's failed bid to disqualify 220,000 absentee ballots and voted against counting Pennsylvania and Arizona electoral votes. Democratic opponent David Crowley questioned whether Tiffany can be trusted to certify 2028 results; Tiffany said he would.

Rep. Tom Tiffany, the Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor, sustained minor injuries late Saturday when the small plane he was traveling in lost power while approaching Wausau Downtown Airport and made an emergency landing on Lake Wausau. Tiffany, 68, was returning from the La Crosse County Lincoln Day Dinner in Onalaska when the pilot warned him seconds before impact that they were going down. The single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza hit the water hard; the two men forced the door open, called 911, and swam to a shallow area as the plane began sinking, waiting there until emergency responders arrived by fire department airboat.

Both men were treated at Aspirus Wausau Hospital and released; Tiffany required 12 stitches for a cut above his eye, while the pilot needed four stitches. Speaking emotionally at a Sunday news conference, Tiffany said it was "by the grace of God" they survived and thanked first responders. The FAA confirmed the aircraft had engine-related problems and is investigating; the NTSB is awaiting a damage assessment. Tiffany, endorsed by President Trump, said he will continue his campaign against Democrat David Crowley in the November 3 race, which recent polling shows as closely contested.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Crowley launched a statewide tour blaming Republican rival Tom Tiffany for record-high diesel prices in Wisconsin, visiting a Kewaunee County farm with U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin. Farmer Clark Riemer described 2025 as his worst farming year in 35 years, citing soaring fuel and fertilizer costs tied to geopolitical instability, including U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran that disrupted fertilizer pricing.

Crowley criticized Tiffany's House votes against resolutions to end the Iran conflict, arguing the ongoing war has driven up fuel costs and hurt farmers. Tiffany countered by attacking Crowley's record on taxes and budget shortfalls as Milwaukee County executive, framing his own platform around tax cuts to ease affordability pressures.

Wisconsin diesel prices reached $6.56 per gallon, worsened by refinery outages in Illinois and Indiana and Russian export bans following Ukrainian attacks on refineries. Both candidates support repealing the state's minimum markup law on gasoline, though industry representatives dispute claims that repeal would meaningfully lower prices, noting crude oil costs are the primary driver of pump prices.

Wisconsin election officials have reviewed and deactivated more than 500,000 voter registrations over the past year as part of routine list maintenance ahead of the Nov. 3 election. The Wisconsin Elections Commission says the cleanup targets voters who died, moved, were convicted of a felony, or were adjudicated incompetent—not active, eligible voters. Breakdown includes roughly 187,000 inactive voters who didn't respond to postcards, 142,000 who moved, nearly 130,000 flagged through the multistate ERIC system, about 31,700 deceased voters, and 2,575 felony-related removals. As of October 1, Wisconsin had about 3.6 million registered voters, with officials anticipating over 2.6 million ballots cast. The rolls have drawn conservative scrutiny since 2020, often fueled by false claims conflating active and inactive voter lists.

Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District has emerged as one of the most closely watched races that could help decide control of the U.S. House next year. Republican incumbent Derrick Van Orden faces a rematch against Democratic challenger Rebecca Cooke, who lost to him by roughly 11,000 votes in 2024. Analysts describe the campaign as increasingly negative, with both sides now focused on attacking each other's records rather than introducing themselves to voters.

President Trump looms over the contest even though he is not on the ballot. Van Orden has embraced Trump, saying he would welcome him back to the district, breaking from Republicans elsewhere trying to distance themselves from the president amid his low approval ratings. Cooke, who calls herself a moderate Democrat, is appealing to voters who have split tickets in the past, arguing Republican control of Congress and the White House makes the GOP accountable. The race is one of several competitive midterm contests nationally that will shape House control.

Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell has criticized what he calls "complete silence" from Wisconsin's election commission and attorney general's office over how local officials should respond if federal agents appear at polling places on election day. The concerns follow FBI Director Kash Patel's refusal to rule out deploying federal agents to polls, part of a broader pattern of Trump administration officials raising the possibility of sending ICE or National Guard personnel to voting locations.

In response, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin introduced legislation aimed at blocking the president from deploying ICE or the National Guard to polling sites this November. The threats have also spurred lawsuits against the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Justice Department, citing federal law that bars armed agents from polling places except to "repel armed enemies of the United States." Wisconsin's elections commission says it hopes to issue guidance before election day. McDonell warned the uncertainty alone could deter eligible voters from turning out.