Why would the mayor’s office and Milwaukee’s top election official be working with Democratic operatives on a claimed “nonpartisan” GOTV campaign? That’s the purview of political parties, not cities. It certainly isn’t — and shouldn’t be — the responsibility of a city’s election administrators.

But the texts show Chheda setting up meetings at the Milwaukee Election Commission office to discuss the handling of Milwaukee Votes 2022.

On this thread was Melissa Baldauff, Gov. Tony Evers’ former communications director and principal with GPS Impact, a marketing outfit that boasts it has helped “Democrats, progressive organizations and initiatives, and elected officials win in red states.” Baldauff and GPS Impact reportedly are or were involved in the GOTV initiative.

Fleming and Claire Woodall-Vogg, executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission, were also involved in the text chain.