MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The state Elections Commission says GOP plans to move Wisconsin's 2020 presidential primary from April to March would cost at least $7 million.
The move is part of a sweeping package of lame-duck legislation Republican lawmakers plan to take up on Tuesday. Moving the primary would create three elections in three months — the state primary in February, the presidential primary in March and the state general election in April.
A commission memo estimates a third election would cost between $6.4 million and $6.8 million. That estimate doesn't include all local costs, training costs and software update costs.
The memo warns of plenty of logistical hurdles, including administrating absentee ballots for two elections simultaneously and short deadlines for postelection tasks while prepping for the next contest.
