City Finds 386 Sealed Ballots In a Box
All ballots from Ward 315 which Urban Milwaukee reported had shown a big drop in turnout.
Election workers uncovered a large election day error during the Milwaukee County presidential recount.
At the bottom of a box for Ward 315, located on the city’s Far South Side, city recount workers uncovered 386 sealed ballots.
“It seems like it was human error on election day,” said Woodall-Vogg. “Knowing how thorough we are at central count, I have no doubt that they brought these ballots up to the table saying they were complete” and didn’t “indicate to anyone that half the ward was missing.”
The commission, made up of two Democrats and one Republican, voted unanimously to accept the ballots.
“If there is one positive coming out of the recount it’s that every vote is indeed being counted,” she said.
In its post-election coverage, Urban Milwaukee reported that the ward had the city’s fourth-largest turnout drop compared to 2016 and the greatest drop for a ward not on a college campus.
“A total of 261 fewer voters showed up, a 23% drop. No explanation immediately presents itself,” Urban Milwaukee in its November 5th story. Now the answer presents itself.
“I did have that ward on my list to investigate further,” said Woodall-Vogg, but she said the timing of the city canvass and now the recount prevented her for completing that. She said the ballots were all logged as received, but never counted.
Joe Biden currently leads Donald Trump in the ward with the uncounted ballots by 466 to 436. The city’s absentee ballots went overwhelmingly for Biden, but Woodall-Vogg said these ballots could improve Trump’s total.
“I don’t think it was anything malicious,” said Woodall-Vogg.
The recount process is scheduled to conclude in advance of the December 1st deadline according to Milwaukee County Clerk George L. Christenson.
Biden led Trump by 20,608 votes across Wisconsin and 182,913 votes in Milwaukee County in advance of the recount. A 2016 statewide recount changed the presidential results by just 131 votes.
More about the 2020 General Election
- Data Wonk: New Voters Won the 2020 Election - Bruce Thompson - Jan 20th, 2021
- GOP State Legislators Asked Pence to Not Certify Election - Melanie Conklin - Jan 14th, 2021
- Rep. Hintz: Condemns Republican Legislators’ Lies and Dangerous Rhetoric - State Rep. Gordon Hintz - Jan 14th, 2021
- Tiffany, Fitzgerald Object To Some Biden Electors - Shawn Johnson - Jan 7th, 2021
- Sen. Baldwin: “It’s Disgraceful” - Urban Milwaukee - Jan 6th, 2021
- Rep Moore Blames Trump for Today’s Chaos - Urban Milwaukee - Jan 6th, 2021
- Rep. Gallagher: “We are witnessing absolute banana republic crap in the United States Capitol right now” - Urban Milwaukee - Jan 6th, 2021
- Back in the News: Cleta Mitchell Resigns from Foley Firm - Bruce Murphy - Jan 5th, 2021
- Gallagher Assails GOP Push to Nullify Election - Rob Mentzer - Jan 5th, 2021
- Back in the News: Foley Firm Faces Blowback on Trump Call - Bruce Murphy - Jan 5th, 2021
Read more about 2020 General Election here
More about the Presidential Recount
- Legislature Refuses to Change Absentee Vote Counting Law - Nora Eckert - Dec 5th, 2020
- Supervisor Martin Thanks Election Commission for Successfully Completing the Recount - Sup. Felesia Martin - Dec 2nd, 2020
- State Elections Commission Gets Testy - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 1st, 2020
- State Declares Biden Won Election - Graham Kilmer - Nov 30th, 2020
- Recount Reaffirms that Wisconsin Voters Picked Joe Biden - A Better Wisconsin Together - Nov 30th, 2020
- AG Kaul Issues Statement on Completion of Partial Recount in Wisconsin - Josh Kaul - Nov 30th, 2020
- Wisconsin Recount Grows Biden’s Margin, But Trump Says Fight Isn’t Over - Jeramey Jannene - Nov 29th, 2020
- Trump Promises Lawsuit Challenging Wisconsin Election Results - Jeramey Jannene - Nov 29th, 2020
- Milwaukee County Completes Recount - George Christenson - Nov 27th, 2020
- Milwaukee County Recount Finished, Dane County Continuing - Jeramey Jannene - Nov 27th, 2020
Read more about Presidential Recount here