With Election Day fast approaching, the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is raising alarms over election integrity in Wisconsin. CPAC has filed an official complaint with the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) over alleged illegal ballot harvesting at a dropbox outside Milwaukee City Hall. CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp announced the filing, citing photographic evidence and a witness account describing what they say could be a case of “ballot-stuffing.”
According to the witness, an unidentified person reportedly deposited what appeared to be hundreds of absentee ballots—possibly as many as 500—into the Milwaukee City Hall dropbox. The individual reportedly fled upon realizing they were being photographed, per *The Washington Times*. In Wisconsin, ballot harvesting, or the act of collecting and submitting ballots on behalf of others, is illegal, making the accusation serious in a state where close races are the norm.
In his statement, Schlapp expressed CPAC’s commitment to secure and transparent elections. “As part of CPAC’s efforts to ensure elections are free and fair, CPAC has filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Election Commission and reported to local law enforcement allegations of potential efforts to commit fraud or corruption in the voting process by an unknown individual,” Schlapp said. He reiterated that “ballot harvesting is illegal under Wisconsin law.”
As part of CPAC’s efforts to ensure elections are free and fair, CPAC has filed a complaint with the Wisconsin Election Commission (“WEC”) and reported to local law enforcement allegations of potential efforts to commit fraud or corruption in the voting process by an unknown…
— Matt Schlapp (@mschlapp) October 30, 2024
The complaint, filed Wednesday, urges urgent action from Wisconsin election officials, emphasizing that state law mandates absentee ballots must be either mailed or delivered directly by the voter to the municipal clerk, except in cases where the voter has a disability. CPAC’s filing emphasized, “CPAC believes the facts provided establish probable cause to believe a violation of Wisconsin law has occurred and urges the Wisconsin Elections Commission to promptly investigate these allegations.”
The witness statement adds weight to CPAC’s complaint, describing an individual depositing what looked like a “bag full of absentee ballots” into the Milwaukee dropbox around 7:55 p.m. on October 25. “It is my understanding that ballot trafficking is a violation of Wisconsin state law and that each elector must deliver their own absentee ballot unless the elector is disabled,” the witness explained in the affidavit.
Wisconsin is a critical battleground with a history of narrow electoral margins, and its voting processes are already under intense scrutiny this election cycle. Allegations of ballot harvesting only add fuel to an already intense focus on election security in the state. The WEC has yet to publicly respond to CPAC’s complaint, but with heightened national attention, officials are expected to address these claims soon as voter confidence in election integrity remains at the forefront.
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