MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee County Clerk George L. Christenson today praised the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for alerting voters of the potential for federal authorities to seize election ballots and reveal how they voted in the 2020 election:
“The cornerstone of American democracy is the secret ballot. For generations, voters have been guaranteed the Constitutional right to cast their vote freely, privately, and without fear that their choices will later be exposed or scrutinized by the government. Any action that risks undermining that fundamental protection should concern every American, regardless of political party.”
Milwaukee County election officials operate under strict legal and procedural safeguards designed to protect both the integrity of elections and the privacy of voters. Wisconsin law requires absentee ballots processed at central count locations to be marked with voter numbers. Because those numbers correspond to entries in the poll books, the ballots could be traced to the voters who cast them.
“The right to a secret ballot is clearly expressed in Article III, Section 3 of the Wisconsin Constitution. If Milwaukee County is targeted by the Trump administration and the Department of Justice, revealing the identity of voters would clearly violate their constitutional rights.
“As the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article states, the concern stems from a recent federal grand jury subpoena issued to Maricopa County, Arizona. It is important to note that Milwaukee County experienced no significant discrepancies during its recount of the 2020 presidential election, and therefore, there is no reason Milwaukee County should be subject to similar action.
“As always, I will continue to do everything within my legal authority to protect the rights of Milwaukee County voters,” Christenson said.
