Key Takeaways:
– The Wisconsin Elections Commission is investigating the mishandling of almost 200 absentee ballots from the 2024 election.
– It seems like these ballots got overlooked due to human error and a lacking system to track them.
– It remains uncertain whether these ballots got checked in on Election Day.
– City officials became aware of this issue only after election results were certified.
The Oversight of Absentee Ballots
Nearly 200 absentee ballots from Wisconsin’s 2024 election slipped through the cracks. Now, the Wisconsin Elections Commission has given the nod for an in-depth investigation into what went wrong. Madison City Clerk, Maribeth Witzel-Behl, has come under the microscope to see if any laws were breached or authority was misused.
Investigating the Miscount
The mishandling of the nearly 200 absentee ballots has puzzled everyone and may lead back to errors at two polling locations. Ann Jacobs, a Democratic Commissioner, argued that the goal isn’t punishment but finding out why this situation arose.
The Genesis of the Problem
Voters who entrusted their vote to the absentee ballots remained overlooked in the state capital. The issue was traced back to two polling stations. One site, Ward 56, held 125 ballots in envelopes that workers didn’t open. 68 more absentee letters, including one mistakenly sent to this location, went unopened at Regent neighborhood’s, Ward 65.
A Question of Procedure
Why didn’t anyone tally these votes? If these uncounted absentee ballots did get checked at Madison’s clerk’s office on Election Day, the mismatch between the number of voters and ballots should’ve been evident. The mystery around this situation continues to unravel, with no concrete answers yet.
Election Results and the Aftermath
Madison certified its election results without acknowledging these unseen ballots. Most weren’t found until nearly a month after Election Day, although some surfaced as the county canvass continued on November 12.
Doubts Over Transparency
When staff discovered the first missing batch, Witzel-Behl said they thought it was too late to count these votes unless a recount was called. The commission wasn’t apprised of this lapse until December 18, nearly six weeks after the election and post-certification of results. Neither the city attorney nor the mayor’s office was aware of this discrepancy until the commission informed City Attorney Mike Haas a day later. Jacobs criticized this lack of transparency surrounding the error.
Evasive Answers and Future Precautions
Witzel-Behl admitted to being unaware of the seriousness of the situation, as she was largely on vacation during the discovery period. She still cannot explain why those envelopes remained unopened. GOP Commissioner Don Millis stressed more on identifying the cause rather than the extent of the problem. He believes a procedural breakdown or inadequate guidelines may have allowed this slip. Similar sentiments were expressed by the Republican commissioner, Marge Bostelmann, who mentioned that only when they know why it happened, can they provide guidance to avoid it in the future.
A Race Against Time
With the spring primary elections looming on February 18, it’s essential to pin down what went wrong soon. Even if the commission can only share a brief reminder to clerks to prevent a repeat of this mistake, Jacobs believes it would be a worthwhile step forward.
In Conclusion
A systematic failure and human error combined to cause the mismanagement of the absentee ballots during the November 2024 elections in Madison, Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Elections Commission has unanimously approved an inquiry to shed light on what led to this unfortunate incident. The clear lack of a system to efficiently track absentee ballots, coupled with administrative oversights, now serves as a stark reminder to other states and regions. With other elections in the pipeline, it’s crucial that these issues get addressed soon to safeguard the vote and voter trust.