(5MinNewsBreak.com) – Exposing yet another case of potential election mismanagement in a critical battleground state, the Wisconsin Elections Commission has launched an investigation into nearly 200 uncounted absentee ballots in Madison.
This alarming discovery raises serious questions about the integrity of the voting process and the competence of local election officials in the liberal stronghold.
The commission voted unanimously to investigate whether Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl violated state law or abused her discretion in handling the uncounted ballots.
Commission Chair Ann Jacobs stated, “I thought this was so egregious that it’s important we move immediately,” highlighting the gravity of the situation.
Adding to the controversy, the commission was not informed of the issue until late December, well after the election results were certified on November 29.
The uncounted ballots were discovered in courier bags in vote tabulating machines and during reconciliation processes in three city wards.
This revelation comes on the heels of another embarrassing incident in September when Witzel-Behl’s office mistakenly sent out up to 2,000 duplicate absentee ballots due to a data processing error.
Officials claim the uncounted ballots did not affect the outcome of any race or referendum.
However, the incident undermines voter confidence in a state where President-elect Donald Trump won the 2024 election.
Madison and Dane County, known liberal strongholds where Kamala Harris won 75% of the vote, now face scrutiny over their ability to conduct fair and accurate elections.
The investigation revealed a lack of a thorough system for tracking absentee ballots, with mistakes occurring at two polling locations.
At Ward 56, 125 ballots were not opened, and at Ward 65, 68 ballots remained unopened.
It remains unclear whether these ballots were properly checked in at the Madison clerk’s office, which could have revealed inconsistencies on Election Day.
“My biggest concern is why it took a month and a half for this to come out,” reflected Republican commissioner Don Millis. “It’s very, very disturbing.”
Even more concerning is the apparent lack of transparency surrounding the incident.
City officials, including Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, were unaware of the error until the commission informed them.
Witzel-Behl was reportedly on vacation during this period and claimed she was unaware of the situation.
This inquiry carries significant weight as the commission’s first investigation since it became an agency in 2016.
With the spring primary elections on February 18, there is an urgent need to address these issues and prevent similar problems from occurring in the future.
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