At Least 2 Instances Of Wrong Ballots Mailed In Waukesha

WAUKESHA, WI— A day after a Waukesha Alderman and state assembly candidate voiced concern after an absentee ballot mix-up, it appears to have happened again. On Friday, a voter in the Village of Waukesha posted on Facebook and emailed Democratic State Assembly candidate Aaron Perry. The resident said the following:

"Just wanted to bring to your attention that my husband and I received our mail-in ballots and were completing them when we found an error. My ballot had your name on it but my husband’s ballot did not! I contacted the Waukesha Dem office last night to make them aware.

This morning, I called the Village office and she confirmed my husband’s ballot was for the wrong Wards and told me she will send a corrected ballot. Another neighbor had the same problem. I hope this isn’t widespread. I posted a PSA on our neighborhood Facebook page to make people aware to examine their ballots."

Patch reached out to the woman and Village of Waukesha Clerk Karen Couillard on Friday afternoon. Both individuals didn't respond as of Friday afternoon.

Perry told Patch a married couple in the same Village of Waukesha household received two different ballots. The ballots weren't printed incorrectly but the wrong one was mailed out.

One voter was mailed a correct ballot which has the 97th Assembly District race between Republican incumbent Rep. Scott Allen and his challenger, Perry. The woman's husband was mailed a ballot with a different race.

Patch reached out to the Village of Waukesha Clerk Karen Couillard on Thursday.

"One ballot was issued incorrectly to a resident as an absentee ballot. We have requested the resident to destroy the incorrect ballot and will reissue the correct ballot. This was a simple human error," Couillard said in an emailed statement.

Couillard followed up with a second email to Patch to explain the ballot mix-up. She said, "Also note that the reason Mr. Perry was not on the ballot for Wards 7, 9-11 is because those wards are not in his voting district."

Perry told Patch while it was just one ballot there could be possibly be more wrong ballots.

"It doesn't mean 300 wrong ballots were sent out. It just means you got one phone call," he said.

Perry added he reached out to attorneys with the Democratic Party in Wisconsin.

Rep. Allen told Patch it is "an unfortunate situation" and hopes it was an isolated incident and not widespread. Allen hopes voters are making sure they are checking their ballots to verify they are receiving the right ballot.

"It is early enough before the election, people should pay close attention to see if their ballots are correct," Allen said.

Allen also is a supporter of voting in person if possible. He added voters could bring their absentee ballot in person to the clerk before Nov. 3 if there are questions.

"As people like to move to the convenience of mail-in ballots, you increase the probability of human error," Allen said to Patch.

Perry told Patch he wants to make sure the election is fair no matter what the outcome of the race is.

Absentee voters are encouraged to check if they have the correct ballot by going to the website Myvotewi.gov. If the ballot is incorrect, call your local clerk.

The story is developing.