Madison – State Representative Janel Brandtjen (R-Menomonee Falls) released the following statement regarding the military ballot issue:
“In November of last year, open records requests from the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC), retrieved by an election integrity watchdog group, showed a substantial drop of military ballots in the November 2022 election. However, we just learned through updated records from WEC that no substantial drop occurred.
Although it is reassuring that there was no substantial drop in the number of military ballots cast, there are still vulnerabilities regarding military ballots that demand our attention. Obtaining military ballots online in Wisconsin remains unsecure and provides no confidence that our men and women serving in the military are not being disenfranchised by bad actors.”
Active military voters do not require ID or registration, but Wisconsin Statute 6.22(6) requires clerks to confirm active military voters via a list. During the hearing before Judge Michael Maxwell, it became clear that there is no existing list to allow clerks to verify names of our overseas military members. The proper security measures should be restored since a deputy clerk in Milwaukee exposed this loophole by sending authentic military ballots to my home, without my knowledge. Active military members and their families should be outraged at the lack of security this breach has caused. WEC and municipal clerks should be following statute 6.22(6) instead of ignoring the law,” said Rep Brandtjen
