The Wisconsin Elections Commission’s (WEC) staff is recommending that commissioners deny ballot access to Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad in the Democratic primary for governor after determining he submitted fewer than the required number of valid signatures.
An initial review found Bangstad turned in nomination papers with just 1,504 valid signatures. State law requires 2,000 valid signatures for candidates seeking the gubernatorial nomination.
The staff recommendation will go before the six-member bipartisan commission at its meeting Tuesday. Materials prepared for commissioners did not detail the specific shortcomings identified in Bangstad’s petitions. Bangstad, who announced his candidacy last month, had until Sunday to submit corrections before the commission makes a final determination.
Bangstad submitted 15 affidavits from circulators in an attempt to rehabilitate invalid signatures. Those he turned in had multiple issues, including signers failing to include dates or addresses and circulators dating forms before all signatures were collected—a violation of Wisconsin election rules.
Bangstad has publicly stated he believes he submitted more than enough valid signatures and had indicated plans to appeal. The commission is scheduled to finalize ballot access decisions today ahead of the Aug. 11 primary. The winner of the Democratic primary will face presumptive Republican nominee Tom Tiffany in the Nov. 3 general election.
