Madison Faces Criticism After 2,215 Duplicate Ballots Sent Ahead of Election

Leading up to the 2024 hotly contested Presidential election, Madison Deputy Clerk Jim Verbick has responded to concerns regarding a data processing error that led to the issuance of 2,215 duplicate ballots across 10 wards in Wisconsin. He explained that the error was a result of human mistakes in merging voter files, but assured the public that only one ballot per voter would be accepted.

“There was a human error that occurred,” Verbick stated, emphasizing that despite the duplicates, the system would ensure each voter is counted only once. He clarified that the error stemmed from merging two files containing voters who had the same ballot style. Instead of successfully merging, one file was mistakenly copied, leading to the duplicate ballots, according to WKOW.

Around 3,000 voters were affected by this issue, though Verbick reassured voters that the system would catch any duplicate submissions. “Once the barcode is scanned, the voting system does not allow a ballot with the same barcode to be submitted,” he explained. He encouraged voters to destroy any duplicate ballots and send only one.

Many wonder how such a large error close to the biggest election in four years could have occurred. Representative Tom Tiffany (R-WI) has called for transparency, citing Madison’s controversial election practices in the past. In response to Tiffany’s letter, Verbick refrained from addressing the specifics but reiterated the transparency of the clerk’s office regarding election processes.

Verbick confirmed that no third-party investigation into the error is planned at the moment but noted the office would cooperate fully should an inquiry arise.’