Open Records Requests Uncovers Abuse Of Same-Day Registration In Wisconsin

Media Trackers conducted an open records request investigation of election day registrations in 15 Milwaukee and Dane County wards for the April 5 election. With just a small sampling of election-day registrations, Media Trackers uncovered significant potential abuses of the same-day registration system and numerous cases of incomplete voter registrations.

Potential Voter Registration Abuses

• In City of Madison Ward 48, one person corroborated (vouched) for three consecutive voters. When asked to write in the corroborator’s address, this person listed two different address, that in each case matches the residence of the individual trying to vote.
• In City of Madison Ward 46, two instances were recorded where an individual required corroboration for his proof of residence, and then was permitted to corroborate for someone else using the residence they could not prove.
• Maura Tracy, formerly employed by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin in a number of capacities, corroborated for seven individuals who were unable to provide proof of residence in City of Madison Ward 44.
• One individual used an “acceptance letter to the University of Minnesota” as his proof of residence. This would not fall under any of the acceptable proofs of residence as spelled out by the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB).
• 126 voters in just 15 wards required corroboration because they couldn’t provide of residency, despite the 12 different acceptable proofs of residence accepted by the Wisconsin GAB.

Incomplete Voter Registrations

• Fourteen voter registrations had the box checked that noted that the individual was “previously registered to vote in Wisconsin, but my name and/or address has changed.” But these fourteen didn’t provide a previous address in which to cancel the voting rights at that address.
• Nine voter registrations noted that the individual is attempting to register and vote in the wrong ward. It is unclear whether they voted in the proper ward or not.
• Twelve ballots are missing an official’s signature and name.

On the eve of Governor Walker’s signing of the photo ID bill, it’s important to remember that Wisconsin elections are far from perfect. While not every instance listed above constitutes an illegal action, the above evidence suggests that not requiring photo ID while permitting election-day registration, provided vast opportunity for exploitation and error.

As photo ID is signed into law, it’s important to continue to seek to improve the integrity and accuracy of Wisconsin elections and voter registration.

Photos of the questionable voter registrations can be found at Media Trackers.