Election officials: Moving presidential primary to cost $6.8M

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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.

That proposed change would be part of sweeping lame-duck legislation that Republican lawmakers plan to take up on Tuesday. Moving the primary would scheduled three elections in three subsequent 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 take into account all local costs, training costs and software costs.

The memo warns there will be plenty of hurdles. Absentee ballots, for instance, will have to be administered for two elections simultaneously and there will be short deadlines for post-election tasks while workers prepare for the next electoral contest.