The Wisconsin Elections Commission says residents who hold election wagers may be disqualified from voting in that contest, drawing threats of legal action from Kalshi and a response from Polymarket.
Wisconsin election officials said residents who buy election-related contracts on Kalshi or Polymarket may become ineligible to vote in that same election, escalating a legal dispute over whether political prediction markets amount to prohibited wagers under state law. The Wisconsin Elections Commission unanimously approved a legal memorandum on the issue at a July 9 meeting and issued a statewide notice on Tuesday. Administrator Meagan Wolfe said voters cannot legally make a bet on an election and cast a ballot in that same contest. Under Wisconsin Statute 6.03(2), a person is disqualified from voting in an election if they hold a direct or indirect interest in a wager on its outcome, and intentionally voting while unqualified can constitute a Class I felony. The commission said any challenge would be election-specific rather than a blanket loss of voting rights, and could lead to an administrative review and possible referral to a district attorney. Kalshi called the guidance unconstitutional and voter suppression, while Polymarket said it would address the claims through the appropriate legal process.