After concerns raised, Wisconsin Elections Commission says bake sale at St. Mesrob on Election Day 'not a major concern'
CALEDONIA, WI — A representative from the Wisconsin Commissions Election (WEC) says a bake sale held at a polling location in Caledonia during the Nov. 5 election probably didn't violate state election law.
Congregants from St. Mesrob held the bake sale to raise money for the church, and in a photo on Racine County Eye, local Republican Ken Brown is seen speaking to someone about whether the bake sale was legal or not.
Racine County Eye reached out to WEC for a more official opinion.
Bake sale location sparked questionsThe bake sale was organized by St. Mesrob to raise funds for the church and was held inside the same room as the voting area. Brown visited a number of polling locations on Election Day, and he said he was confused about the setup.
"I walked in around 11 or 12 o'clock, and right as you entered the back door, which is where most people parked to vote, there it was," Brown said. "I thought, 'What in the hell is this?' It felt like an odd situation, especially when considering election regulations."
Brown compared the incident to a previous controversy, often referred to as "Kringle Gate," when former Governor Jim Doyle's campaign was cited for offering coffee and Kringle valued over a dollar, which constituted a campaign violation.
"You can't make it too comfortable for voters or seem like you're influencing them," he noted.
Father Yepram, a representative of St. Mesrob, defended the placement of the sale, emphasizing that the goods were for purchase, not free handouts.
"The table was set up at the exit," Father Yepram clarified. "We ensured it wasn't an imposition on the voting process. People had the option to buy items like muffins and doughnuts, but we weren't pressuring anyone or making it a condition to vote."
WEC offers mixed guidanceWhen consulted, WEC acknowledged that the bake sale raised valid concerns but noted the commission's lack of clear guidance on the matter.
The commission's stance is that as long as no items valued over one dollar were given away for free and the sale did not obstruct or influence voting, it may not constitute a serious issue.
"The guidance we have aligns with what some local officials mentioned," WEC . "It's not cut and dried, but if people are choosing to buy baked goods and there's no sense of coercion or voter manipulation, it's generally not a major concern."
After learning about WEC's take on the matter Brown asked where the line gets drawn.
"If I wanted to set up a stand selling sunglasses or if a real estate agent decided to advertise there, would that be okay?" he stated.
According to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, there are no immediate plans to change its guidance.
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