Statement from Center for Election Confidence Chief Policy Counsel Caleb Hays on WEC Decision to End Green Bay “Extra Ballots” Investigation Prematurely

“Today’s decision by the Wisconsin Elections Commission to prematurely end its investigation into Green Bay’s unprecedented twice-in-three-months ‘extra ballots’ crisis is disappointing. While welcomed, the resignation of the official in charge when these mistakes occurred is not sufficient.

“The ‘extra ballots’ crisis in Green Bay has on-going impact and represents more than a minor technical matter. City officials sent out a still-unknown number of ‘extra’ live ballots and claimed to implement an undisclosed process to prevent any ‘extra’ ballots from counting. None of this has been independently verified.

“Despite Green Bay’s promise to voters that the underlying issue had been resolved, it happened a second time only three months later. Now, Green Bay has again offered—and WEC has accepted—an unverified promise that this issue won’t happen again.

“For Green Bay voters to have confidence in the stability, accuracy, and integrity of their election system, a WEC investigation needs to encompass more than a handful of informal emails and letters. The complete, independent development and verification of the factual record and the continued oversight over process-improvement activities are required to ensure these issues are not repeated a third time in Green Bay.

“‘Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.’ Ignoring a problem does not make it go away.”

###

Background:

• Read about CEC’s initial efforts to highlight threat to voters’ confidence in Green Bay following second “extra ballots” issue in three months.
• RELEASE: CEC Commends WEC and Green Bay for Placing City Clerk on Leave Pending State Investigation into Election Irregularities
• Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay city clerk placed on leave in duplicate ballot investigation
• WHBY-FM: Center for Election Confidence raises concerns about duplicate ballots
• WBAY-TV: Center for Election Confidence sends letter to Green Bay Common Council after duplicate ballot issue