Current:Home > InvestWisconsin capital city sends up to 2,000 duplicate absentee ballots, leading to GOP concerns -Wealth Momentum Network
Wisconsin capital city sends up to 2,000 duplicate absentee ballots, leading to GOP concerns
View
Date:2025-04-14 15:34:25
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Up to 2,000 voters in Wisconsin’s heavily Democratic capital of Madison were sent duplicate absentee ballots, but a city spokesperson said Tuesday that none had been returned, all affected voters were being contacted and there were multiple safeguards in place to ensure only one ballot is counted.
“This was a mistake,” city spokesperson Dylan Brogan said. “The clerk’s office moved to rectify it as quickly as possible.”
The error in a Democratic stronghold in the battleground state led to a demand for more information from U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican backer of former President Donald Trump whose northern Wisconsin district does not include Madison.
“Voters deserve clear answers regarding the full scope of this blunder, how the city plans to restore public confidence in its ability to accurately administer the election, and assurances that those responsible are held accountable,” Tiffany wrote.
The error in Madison and push for more information from a Trump backer comes as there is intense scrutiny over how elections are run, particularly in battleground states like Wisconsin. Trump lost Wisconsin in 2020. Nearly four years later, conspiracy theories surrounding the 2020 election and false claims of widespread fraud persist. Trump continues to insist, despite no evidence of widespread fraud, that he won that election as he seeks a return to the White House.
President Joe Biden’s win over Trump in Wisconsin survived two recounts ordered by Trump, including one involving the city of Madison, an independent audit, a review by a Republican law firm and numerous lawsuits.
Brogan said election clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl was in the process of responding to Tiffany’s letter and “thoroughly answering all of these questions.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s Tom Tiffany, or who it is, we want everyone to know what happened,” Brogan said.
He said the mistake occurred when two identical files were merged, resulting in the creation of a list with double the names and double the addresses. Up to 2,000 duplicate ballots in one ward were mailed late last week before the mistake was caught and corrected, Brogan said.
The clerk’s office has been contacting voters individually to notify them of the error and cautioning them to submit only one ballot, Brogan said. However, because the ballots have identical barcodes, if two ballots are submitted, only the first one scanned will be counted, Brogan said.
Also, once the ballot is scanned, the voter is marked in the poll book as having submitted an absentee ballot. That is another safeguard against the voter submitting a second ballot, the clerk’s office said.
As of Monday, Madison had sent 27,421 absentee ballots and none had been returned, according to the state elections commission. Brogan said none of the duplicate ballots had been returned since then.
veryGood! (544)
Related
- Whoopi Goldberg is delightfully vile as Miss Hannigan in ‘Annie’ stage return
- How the iPhone 16 is different from Apple’s recent releases
- The uproar around Francis Ford Coppola's ‘Megalopolis’ movie explained
- Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s Son Pax Shows Facial Scars in First Red Carpet Since Bike Accident
- Questlove charts 50 years of SNL musical hits (and misses)
- California's Line Fire grows due to high temperatures, forces evacuations: See map
- Billie Jean King wants to help carve 'pathway' for MLB's first female player
- Here's every Super Bowl halftime performer by year as Kendrick Lamar is tapped for 2025
- The 401(k) millionaires club keeps growing. We'll tell you how to join.
- Officer put on leave in incident with Tyreek Hill, who says he's unsure why he was detained
Ranking
- US wholesale inflation accelerated in November in sign that some price pressures remain elevated
- Kathy Bates Announces Plans to Retire After Acting for More Than 50 Years
- Mariah Carey Speaks Out After Her Mom and Sister Die on the Same Day
- Maren Morris Reveals New Career Milestone
- Former Syrian official arrested in California who oversaw prison charged with torture
- NFL schedule today: What to know about Jets at 49ers on Monday Night Football
- Jannik Sinner completes dominant US Open by beating Taylor Fritz for second major
- Why The Bear Star Will Poulter's Fitness Transformation Has Everyone Saying Yes, Chef
Recommendation
Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
Anna Nicole Smith’s Daughter Dannielynn Gets Gothic Makeover for Her 18th Birthday
Google faces new antitrust trial after ruling declaring search engine a monopoly
A remote tribe is reeling from widespread illness and cancer. What role did the US government play?
2 killed, 3 injured in shooting at makeshift club in Houston
How to cope after a beloved pet crosses the rainbow bridge | The Excerpt
Horoscopes Today, September 9, 2024
The 22 Best Dresses With Pockets Under $40: Banana Republic, Amazon, Old Navy, Target & More