Official announcements or reports from the Madison city government

Wisconsin Probes 193 Uncounted Ballots in Madison, Clerk Under Scrutiny

Jan 5, 2025, 12:15 PM

Wisconsin election officials have launched an investigation into 193 absentee ballots that went uncounted in Madison after the November 5, 2024 election. The Wisconsin Elections Commission is examining whether Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl failed to comply with state laws or abused her discretion. The uncounted ballots were discovered in two batches, one on November 12 and another on December 3, but the issue was not reported to the commission until mid-December. Specific discrepancies included 67 unprocessed ballots in Ward 65, one in Ward 68, and 125 in Ward 56. Witzel-Behl's office has faced prior scrutiny, including an incident in September 2024 when up to 2,000 duplicate absentee ballots were mistakenly sent out. While officials confirmed that the uncounted ballots did not impact the outcome of any races or referenda, the oversight has been described as "egregious" by Commission Chair Ann Jacobs. Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, in a statement issued on December 26, called the discrepancy unacceptable and announced plans to review the city's election procedures. The investigation marks the first undertaken by the Wisconsin Elections Commission since its establishment in 2016.