MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously ruled the state's top election official can stay in her position even after her term expired.

The decision ends a dispute that began in 2023 after Senate Republicans voted to fire Meagan Wolfe, the administrator of the bipartisan state elections commission, in wake of her term ending.

In the 7-0 ruling, justices determined the commission "does not have a duty to appoint a new administrator to replace Wolfe simply because her term has ended."

Justices upheld a Dane County judge ruling last fall that also found GOP lawmakers did not have the power to remove or replace Wolfe. It comes after Wolfe refused to vacate her position as administrator after Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit in wake of the Senate firing her.

GOP leaders who fought the legal challenge were not immediately available for comment.

The court also noted their ruling largely reflected a position they took in 2022 that allowed a GOP-appointed Fredrick Prehn to remain on the Natural Resources Board nearly two years after his term ended.

Wolfe has been a target of Republicans since the fallout of the 2020 presidential election. Many took aim at the commission after Donald Trump falsely claimed, without evidence, widespread voter fraud was the reason behind his defeat to Joe Biden in Wisconsin.

Wolfe was also blamed for policies the six-member bipartisan commission enacted during the pandemic to administer the election such as the use of absentee ballot drop boxes and not allowing special voting deputies into nursing homes.

Some Republican lawmakers also sought to impeach Wolfe, an effort that fell short. 

A spokesperson for the commission did not respond to a request for comment.