Wisconsin Elections Commission To Investigate Nearly 200 Uncounted Absentee Ballots

Saturday, January 4th, 2025 -- 6:57 AM

(Wisconsin Radio Network) -Staff of the Wisconsin Elections Commission will investigate nearly 200 uncounted absentee ballots in Madison.

During a special meeting Monday, Commission chair Anne Jacobs made the case, citing the seriousness of what happened and the fact that the elections agency was not notified “in a timely fashion.” About all that’s known at this point is that Madison election officials discovered 193 absentee ballots weeks after the November 5th election. WEC was made aware of the missing ballots on December 18th, the mayor’s office and the public after that. Commissioner Don Millis called the extended timeline “very disturbing.” Monday’s vote by the six member commission to conduct the investigation was unanimous.

Commissioner Marge Bostelman said she doesn’t see the goal of an investigation as punitive, but rather “to make sure this doesn’t happen again.” In a statement, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes said she agrees that an investigation can help provide transparency and accountability, as well as hopefully provide lessons that all Wisconsin clerks can learn to prevent similar errors in the future.

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