Same Candidate, Two Parties. A Wisconsin Lawsuit Aims To Bring Back Fusion Voting

Voters in Wisconsin could be seeing double on Election Day if the practice of fusion voting - which allows the same candidate to appear on the ballot under multiple party lines - makes a comeback in the battleground state.

A lawsuit filed Tuesday seeks to legalize the practice, saying it would empower independent voters and lesser-known political parties at a time of increasingly bitter partisanship between Republicans and Democrats. The lawsuit comes just four weeks after the Wisconsin Supreme Court election that broke records for spending and saw massive involvement from the two parties and partisan interests.

Common in the 1800s, fusion voting means a candidate could appear on the ballot as nominated by Republican or Democratic parties and one or more lesser-known political parties. Critics argue it complicates the ballot, perhaps confusing the voter, while also giving minor parties disproportionate power because major-party candidates must woo them to get their endorsements.

Currently, full fusion voting is only happening in Connecticut and New York. There are efforts to revive the practice in other states, including Michigan, Kansas and New Jersey.

The lawsuit by the newly formed group United Wisconsin seeks a ruling affirming that minor parties can nominate whoever they like - even if that person was nominated by the Republican or Democratic parties. Under fusion voting, "John Doe, Democrat" could appear on the same ballot with "John Doe, Green Party." All of the votes that candidate receives are combined, or fused, for their total.