Wisconsin Elections Commission Refutes Claims Regarding Clerks Altering Absentee Ballots

Thursday, November 12th, 2020 -- 8:03 AM

(WMTV) -Republicans are claiming the Wisconsin Election Commission told clerks to illegally alter absentee ballot, but officials from the state and county level are refuting those claims.

Wisconsin’s Election officials said they’re aware of the statements regarding the Badger State’s role in the 2020 election, despite no evidence, and they are not true.  Some conservatives claim the Wisconsin Election Commission illegally told clerks they could add the witness address to absentee ballot certificate envelopes.  However, the WEC said in a statement, “The law says a witness address needs to be present on the certificate to be accepted and the ballot to be counted.” The WEC said the law does not specify who can add the address.

The Dane County clerk said poll workers and clerks followed state law in curing absentee ballots. The law has been in place since 2016.  “The election commission guidance to clerks was to cure absentee envelopes if they could. Everyone was doing it the same way across the state. This is just coming from the White House. A desperate attempt to cast doubt on our election, and it’s really a threat to our democracy,” Scott McDonnell, Dane County clerk said.

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