Green Bay’s Duplicate Ballot Issue Sparks Internal and State Investigations
Next month, the Green Bay City Council is slated to receive an in-depth presentation regarding the city’s internal probe into the issuance of duplicate absentee ballots during consecutive elections this year. This comes amid heightened scrutiny and investigations by both local authorities and the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC).
The decision for a comprehensive presentation was made unanimously by the council on Tuesday, ensuring they receive the same documents and findings that the city plans to submit to the WEC. This follows the commission’s mandate on July 9 to look into the matter following similar concerns.
Duplicate absentee ballots were dispatched by the city during the April spring election and are projected to recur in the upcoming August primary. These redundancies have led to the WEC finding probable cause for a breach of state election laws, with WEC commissioner Ann Jacobs labeling the city’s actions as “unconscionable.”
In response to the WEC’s findings, Mayor Eric Genrich placed City Clerk Celestine Jeffreys on administrative leave while the investigations proceed. The council is expected to receive their presentation on August 18, shortly after the city submits its final reports to the WEC.
Earlier, the issue was presented to the city’s protection and policy committee by Alders Melinda Eck and Jennifer Grant. Initially advocating for an independent audit of the city’s electoral processes, they later opted to leverage the findings from the city’s investigation to avoid redundancy with the WEC probe, viewing the commission’s work as effectively serving the same purpose.
Grant emphasized the importance of presenting the city’s findings to restore public trust in the electoral process, urging reviews of personnel issues and interviews with both current and former employees to ensure accountability.
Alder Jon Shelton underscored the significance of the WEC’s investigation, while reassuring that the city’s election processes remain robust. “I agree, we need to make certain that this doesn’t happen again and duplicate ballots are not sent out,” he said, highlighting the diligent work of the clerk’s office and election volunteers.
The issue has reignited scrutiny from Republican circles, echoing past controversies over alleged election mismanagement in Green Bay, as seen in previous election cycles. Public opinions varied, with former Brown County Clerk Sandy Juno supporting the investigation and expressing doubts about Jeffreys’ performance, while poll worker Jane Benson defended the current system’s ability to correct such errors on election day.
“I worry that Celestine (Jeffreys) is now sitting at home when she’s not able to prepare for the Aug. 11 elections,” Benson noted, emphasizing the critical timing for election preparations.
Despite the ongoing developments, a city spokesperson chose not to comment on the council’s decision.
