MADISON, Wis. — A significant administrative oversight has emerged in Wisconsin’s electoral process, potentially disenfranchising numerous voters in a crucial Republican state Assembly primary. A local election clerk failed to recognize that recent legislative redistricting moved the rural town of Summit into a different voting district.
Summit, located in Douglas County and home to approximately 1,000 residents, was reallocated from the 73rd Assembly District to the 74th District under the new maps. This shift has profound implications for the ongoing primary where incumbent Chanz Green faces off against Scott Harbridge for the GOP nomination in the 74th District. Meanwhile, Democrats Angela Stroud and John Adams are competing in the 73rd District primary.
County Clerk Kaci Jo Lundgren announced early Tuesday that voters in Summit received ballots for the 73rd District primary instead of the correct ballots for the 74th, where they should have voted. As a result, votes cast in the 73rd primary by Summit residents may not be counted according to existing state law, leaving them unable to participate in the election for Green or Harbridge in the 74th District.
Lundgren, who oversees elections in Douglas County, acknowledged her error in a telephone interview, citing multiple reviews of the new legislative boundaries without realizing the oversight involving Summit.
“This was human error. I made a mistake… It was an oversight in one municipality,” she stated.
Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe confirmed during a news briefing that state law does not specifically address such an administrative error. “I don’t know what the remedies could look like,” Wolfe articulated, noting the lack of precedents for this type of situation.
Importantly, Wolfe clarified that Summit voters who cast ballots in the 73rd primary did not commit fraud, as they were provided with official ballots. However, votes on other ballot measures, including proposals to amend the state constitution regarding the governor’s spending authority on federal aid, will still be counted.
The confusion in Summit marks the first election under the new legislative maps adopted in February after the state Supreme Court rejected prior Republican-drawn boundaries. These new maps were drawn by Democratic Governor Tony Evers.
According to Wolfe, the election commission has not encountered similar issues in other parts of the state, highlighting the isolated nature of this administrative error.
Harbridge expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation, noting that its impact may only be relevant if the primary race is closely contested. While he has consulted with attorneys regarding potential actions, he lacks the resources for a legal challenge at this time.
“I’m not happy at all about it. I don’t understand how this could happen,” he remarked on the situation.
