A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to the Town of Wheatland, Wisconsin, seeking details about new voter registrations on November 7, 2024.
The request, made by us at Kenosha Reporter, a media organization dedicated to comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs, specifically asked for a list of voters who registered on Election Day. The information was sought under the Wisconsin Open Records Law, §19.31 et seq., with a preference for an electronic format.
As journalists, we rely heavily on access to public records to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public. Given our role in disseminating information, we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as media professionals.
We will continue to keep you updated as we gather and report news that matters to our community. Please reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification regarding this request.