Established Fact
The Zuckerberg-5 cities shared WisVote voter-file data—available to the public only as periodic snapshots at $12,500 per copy—with CTCL-aligned private partners at no cost, in violation of Wisconsin Elections Commission security policies. In at least one city, officials apparently provided those partners with API access to WisVote and BadgerBooks, enabling real-time, free data feeds that were used for “selective, racially-targeted get-out-the-vote purposes.”
Citations
Office of the Special Counsel (Michael Gableman), Second Interim Investigative Report, p. 8 (Mar. 1, 2022): “The Cities of Milwaukee, Madison, Racine, Kenosha and Green Bay engaging private companies in election administration in unprecedented ways, including tolerating unauthorized users and unauthorized uses of WisVote private voter data under Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) policies, such as sharing voter data for free that would have cost the public $12,500.” Available at https://justthenews.com/sites/default/files/2022-03/GablemanReport.pdf.
OSC Second Interim Report, p. 50: “CTCL and its partners did not follow this process and yet obtained WisVote data from Zuckerberg 5’s election officials. By contrast, the public receives WisVote only as WEC updates the information and for a charge of $12,500 for a daily snapshot of statewide data. Accordingly, under Wisconsin Elections Commission’s security policies, CTCL’s and its partners were allowed to access to WisVote in this way, opening the system up to unauthorized uses by unauthorized users. The Zuckerberg 5’s WisVote data sharing with CTCL and its partners was thus unlawful.” Available at https://justthenews.com/sites/default/files/2022-03/GablemanReport.pdf.
OSC Second Interim Report, p. 16: “Ms. Wolfe also told the Commission that there was no API (Application Programming Interface that allows direct access) into the WisVote or BadgerBooks system. Yet cities have provided information that they do have access to statewide WisVote and BadgerBooks data. At least one city apparently provided an API to the WisVote and BadgerBooks systems, which provided real time, free information to special interest groups who used that information for selective, racially-targeted get-out-the-vote purposes under the contracts. That application may still have an active API and may remain viable, so that it might be used by the private groups in future elections.” Available at https://justthenews.com/sites/default/files/2022-03/GablemanReport.pdf
OSC Second Interim Report, pp. 61–62 (App. 388–391): Documenting email exchanges in which Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein (NVAHI/National Vote at Home Institute) requested from Claire Woodall-Vogg (Milwaukee Election Commission) raw WisVote export data by ward, asked whether WisVote had an API or similar connectivity, and requested race/demographics-correlated ballot-return data — “what percentage of ballots are unreturned in areas with predominantly minorities?” Available at https://justthenews.com/sites/default/files/2022-03/GablemanReport.pdf.
OSC Second Interim Report, p. 73: “CTCL’s and its private corporate partners engage in aspects of election administration—including exclusive free access to WisVote data not available to the public and not for free (e.g., $12,500 for copy of statewide WisVote data).” Available at https://justthenews.com/sites/default/files/2022-03/GablemanReport.pdf.