Latest news with #Witzel-Behl
Winnipeg Free Press
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Wisconsin clerk who failed to count November votes violated multiple policies, investigators say
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The former clerk who somehow failed to count nearly 200 ballots in Wisconsin's capital city didn't break any laws but did violate multiple policies and her contractual duty to supervise elections and maintain professional standards, the results of a city-led investigation released Tuesday show. Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl resigned earlier this month amid city and state investigations into her conduct during the November elections. She hasn't spoken publicly about the uncounted ballots since they came to light in January, and it is unclear if she has hired an attorney. A possible telephone listing for her has been disconnected. She did not immediately respond to a Facebook message from The Associated Press on Tuesday seeking comment on the city findings. According to the investigation, Dane County canvassers discovered 68 uncounted absentee ballots in a tabulator bin on Nov. 12, a week after the election, and another 125 uncounted ballots in a courier bag the first week of December. The investigation did not shed any light on how the ballots were missed, saying the mistake appears to have been 'primarily a process and training failure that could have been avoided' by keeping logs of courier bags and sealed envelopes at the polling place and training poll workers on the types of courier bags used to transport absentee ballots. Witzel-Behl's office still had opportunities to count the ballots after they were discovered but never did, the investigation concluded. The office didn't notify the Wisconsin Elections Commission of the oversight until Dec. 18, almost a month and a half after the election and well after results were certified on Nov. 29. Witzel-Behl told investigators that she told two staff members to contact the commission on Nov. 12. But the staffers said she never directed them to do that. A staffer whose name was redacted from the investigative summary said that he tried to inform the Dane County Clerk's office in-person on Nov. 13 but that office had no evidence that anyone presented the issue. Witzel-Behl told investigators she wasn't aware of any uncounted votes until the week of Dec. 10, even though she apparently sent an email to her staff on Nov. 27 to keep the ballots sealed and record the voters as having participated. She said that her deputy clerk told her there were uncounted ballots during the week of Dec. 10. The deputy told investigators no such conversation took place. The investigation concluded that Witzel-Behl failed to demonstrate care and efficiency in the performance of her duties, prepare her office to deal with significant election administration issues, provide clear direction on handling uncounted ballots and maintain processes that allow every legal vote to count. Her failure to directly notify the county clerk, the state elections commission, the city attorney and the mayor's office amounted to violations of polices requiring employees to work efficiently and barring them from preventing others from carrying out their duties, the investigation concluded. The uncounted votes would not have made a difference in any race or referendums question, but the investigators still called the oversight 'an unprecedented failure of the election process.' Four voters whose ballots weren't counted have filed claims for $175,000 each, the first step toward a class-action lawsuit. The state elections commission's investigation continues. Commission leaders announced earlier this month that they had deposed Witzel-Behl and planned to question more city workers.
Associated Press
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Wisconsin clerk who failed to count November votes violated multiple policies, investigators say
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The former clerk who somehow failed to count nearly 200 ballots in Wisconsin's capital city didn't break any laws but did violate multiple policies and her contractual duty to supervise elections and maintain professional standards, the results of a city-led investigation released Tuesday show. Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl resigned earlier this month amid city and state investigations into her conduct during the November elections. She hasn't spoken publicly about the uncounted ballots since they came to light in January, and it is unclear if she has hired an attorney. A possible telephone listing for her has been disconnected. She did not immediately respond to a Facebook message from The Associated Press on Tuesday seeking comment on the city findings. According to the investigation, Dane County canvassers discovered 68 uncounted absentee ballots in a tabulator bin on Nov. 12, a week after the election, and another 125 uncounted ballots in a courier bag the first week of December. The investigation did not shed any light on how the ballots were missed, saying the mistake appears to have been 'primarily a process and training failure that could have been avoided' by keeping logs of courier bags and sealed envelopes at the polling place and training poll workers on the types of courier bags used to transport absentee ballots. Witzel-Behl's office still had opportunities to count the ballots after they were discovered but never did, the investigation concluded. The office didn't notify the Wisconsin Elections Commission of the oversight until Dec. 18, almost a month and a half after the election and well after results were certified on Nov. 29. Witzel-Behl told investigators that she told two staff members to contact the commission on Nov. 12. But the staffers said she never directed them to do that. A staffer whose name was redacted from the investigative summary said that he tried to inform the Dane County Clerk's office in-person on Nov. 13 but that office had no evidence that anyone presented the issue. Witzel-Behl told investigators she wasn't aware of any uncounted votes until the week of Dec. 10, even though she apparently sent an email to her staff on Nov. 27 to keep the ballots sealed and record the voters as having participated. She said that her deputy clerk told her there were uncounted ballots during the week of Dec. 10. The deputy told investigators no such conversation took place. The investigation concluded that Witzel-Behl failed to demonstrate care and efficiency in the performance of her duties, prepare her office to deal with significant election administration issues, provide clear direction on handling uncounted ballots and maintain processes that allow every legal vote to count. Her failure to directly notify the county clerk, the state elections commission, the city attorney and the mayor's office amounted to violations of polices requiring employees to work efficiently and barring them from preventing others from carrying out their duties, the investigation concluded. The uncounted votes would not have made a difference in any race or referendums question, but the investigators still called the oversight 'an unprecedented failure of the election process.' Four voters whose ballots weren't counted have filed claims for $175,000 each, the first step toward a class-action lawsuit. The state elections commission's investigation continues. Commission leaders announced earlier this month that they had deposed Witzel-Behl and planned to question more city workers.
Chicago Tribune
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Wisconsin clerk who failed to count almost 200 ballots is suspended
The mayor of Wisconsin's capital city said Wednesday that she has placed the municipal clerk on leave as investigators work to determine how she failed to count almost 200 absentee ballots in the November election. Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said in a statement that the city has launched an investigation and that she needed to suspend City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl to maintain public confidence in the clerk's office. The mayor added that the city will spare no expense to ensure every vote is counted heading into the swing state's spring election. The state Elections Commission also is investigating whether Witzel-Behl violated any state laws or abused her discretion. The uncounted ballots did not change the results of any races but four Madison voters whose ballots weren't counted filed claims last week for $175,000 each from the city and Dane County, the first step toward initiating a lawsuit. The mayor's spokesperson, Dylan Brogan, said Witzel-Behl will continue to be paid during her suspension. She makes $152,300 annually. No listing for her personal contact information could be immediately found. The suspension comes with the state's April 1 general election just weeks away. The highest-profile race is between conservative Brad Schimel and liberal Susan Crawford for an open state Supreme Court seat. The outcome will determine the ideological balance of the court as it ponders cases involving abortion, the strength of public sector unions, voting rules and congressional district boundaries. Early voting begins next week. Rhodes-Conway said in her statement that she has appointed City Attorney Michael Haas as interim city clerk and that she expects he will ensure the election runs smoothly in Madison. Haas has previously worked as administrator and attorney for the state elections commission. Aides for Democratic and Republican legislative leaders didn't immediately respond to messages Wednesday inquiring about whether Witzel-Behl's suspension has affected their confidence in how the city will conduct the spring election. According to commission investigators, Wiztel-Behl's office discovered 67 unprocessed absentee ballots in a courier bag that had been placed in a security cart. The discovery came on Nov. 12, seven days after the election, while county workers were conducting the official count of election results. Witzel-Behl said she told two employees to notify the elections commission, but neither did. A third city worker visited the Dane County Clerk's Office to inform officials there, but that employee said the county didn't want the ballots for the count, known as a canvass. Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell has said he knew nothing of the uncounted ballots until they were reported in the media. Witzel-Behl's office found another 125 uncounted absentee ballots in a sealed courier bag in a supply tote on Dec. 2. According to commission investigators, Witzel-Behl said she didn't inform county canvassers because the canvass was finished. She added that based on the county's response to the Nov. 12 discovery she didn't think the county would be interested. The commission wasn't notified of either discovery until Dec. 18. Witzel-Behl told investigators that the employees she asked to notify the commission waited until reconciliation was completed. That's a routine process in which poll workers and elections officials ensure an election's accuracy, including checking the number of ballots issued at the polls against the number of voters. She couldn't explain why she didn't contact county officials or the elections commission herself, according to the investigators. On Wednesday afternoon the elections commission unanimously approved sending a memo to clerks around the state outlining best practices for ensuring all ballots get counted in the spring election. The recommendations include documenting election day incidents; making sure all materials are returned from polling sites; checking voting equipment ballot bins for anything that might have been missed; and immediately reporting any mistakes to county officials and the commission. Commission Chair Ann Jacobs noted that all the recommendations are already part of the panel's election day manuals but said the guidelines put them all in one place. Originally Published: March 12, 2025 at 5:58 PM CDT
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wisconsin clerk who failed to count almost 200 ballots is suspended
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The mayor of Wisconsin's capital city said Wednesday she has placed the municipal clerk on leave as investigators work to determine how she failed to count almost 200 absentee ballots in the November election. Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said in a statement that the city has launched an investigation and that she needed to suspend City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl to maintain public confidence in the clerk's office. The mayor added that the city will spare no expense to ensure every vote is counted heading into the swing state's spring election. The state Elections Commission also is investigating whether Witzel-Behl violated any state laws or abused her discretion. The uncounted ballots did not change the results of any races but four Madison voters whose ballots weren't counted filed claims last week for $175,000 each from the city and Dane County, the first step toward initiating a lawsuit. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. The mayor's spokesperson, Dylan Brogan, said Witzel-Behl will continue to be paid during her suspension. She makes $152,300 annually. No listing for her personal contact information could be immediately found. The suspension comes with the state's April 1 general election just weeks away. The highest-profile race is between conservative Brad Schimel and liberal Susan Crawford for an open state Supreme Court seat. The outcome will determine the ideological balance of the court as it ponders cases involving abortion, the strength of public sector unions, voting rules and congressional district boundaries. Early voting begins next week. Rhodes-Conway said in her statement that she has appointed City Attorney Michael Haas as interim city clerk and that she expects he will ensure the election runs smoothly in Madison. Haas has previously worked as administrator and attorney for the state elections commission. Aides for Democratic and Republican legislative leaders didn't immediately respond to messages Wednesday inquiring about whether Witzel-Behl's suspension has affected their confidence in how the city will conduct the spring election. According to commission investigators, Wiztel-Behl's office discovered 67 unprocessed absentee ballots in a courier bag that had been placed in a security cart. The discovery came on Nov. 12, seven days after the election, while county workers were conducting the official count of election results. Witzel-Behl said she told two employees to notify the elections commission, but neither did. A third city worker visited the Dane County Clerk's Office to inform officials there, but that employee said the county didn't want the ballots for the count, known as a canvass. Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell has said he knew nothing of the uncounted ballots until they were reported in the media. Witzel-Behl's office found another 125 uncounted absentee ballots in a sealed courier bag in a supply tote on Dec. 2. According to commission investigators, Witzel-Behl said she didn't inform county canvassers because the canvass was finished. She added that based on the county's response to the Nov. 12 discovery she didn't think the county would be interested. The commission wasn't notified of either discovery until Dec. 18. Witzel-Behl told investigators that the employees she asked to notify the commission waited until reconciliation was completed. That's a routine process in which poll workers and elections officials ensure an election's accuracy, including checking the number of ballots issued at the polls against the number of voters. She couldn't explain why she didn't contact county officials or the elections commission herself, according to the investigators. The elections commission was expected to approve guidelines during a late-afternoon meeting Wednesday to help clerks around the state ensure they count every ballot in the spring election. The recommendations include thoroughly documenting any incidents on election day; making sure all materials are returned from the polling sites; checking voting equipment's ballot bins for anything that might have been missed; and immediately reporting any mistakes to county officials and the commission.
