Incorrect race printed on Wisconsin town’s ballots
(Pexels)
The Douglas County Clerk says that all in-person and and absentee ballots printed for the Town of Summit have the wrong Assembly District. The ballots contain Assembly District 73 but should instead contain Assembly District 74, which was changed by Wisconsin’s newly enacted district maps.
There is a contested Democratic Primary in Assembly District 73, between John Adams and Angela Stroud, and a contested Republican Primary in Assembly District 74, between Chanz Green and Scott Harbridge.
The error was noticed too close to the election to correct on the ballots. In a press release, the County Clerk’s Office explained their reasoning, “There is not enough time for new ballots to be printed and delivered in one day; absentee ballots with the incorrect Assembly District have been circulating for weeks; voting equipment containing the incorrect districts has already been programmed and tested.”
The Clerk’s Office says all the other contests on the ballot contain the correct districts and all other ballots within Douglas County are also correct.
After Primaries, the County Clerk’s Office says it plans to examine the error to better understand how it occurred and how to prevent it in the future. “My office is committed to transparency and accuracy. Our protocols will be thoroughly reviewed and any procedures that are identified that could eliminate this type of error in the future will be implemented,” Kaci Jo Lundgren, Douglas County Clerk.
The Clerk’s Office believes that Wisconsin Law will prevent the board of canvass from being able to count votes in the Assembly District 73 race in the Town of Summit.
Scott Harbridge provided WDIO with the following statement:
“I was contacted this morning by the county clerk and the WEC concerning the ballot error. I was told that they would figure out how to proceed. I am concerned because if the race is close and the results are released, how would you have a fair election for the township of Summit at a later date knowing the vote counts. Then either candidate would have time to concentrate on one area to secure more votes, which disfranchises the voters and both candidates.”
WDIO has also reached out to Chanz Green and is awaiting a response.
The Town of Summit has about 700 registered voters.