In a troubling revelation impacting Madison's electoral integrity, former City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl missed counting 193 absentee ballots during the November 2024 election.
According to Just the News, an internal investigation has identified these oversights as significant violations of city policies.
Maribeth Witzel-Behl served as the Madison City Clerk until her resignation last month, triggered by the mishandling of absentee ballots in the recent election. With the election having been certified without these votes on November 29, 2024, the oversight went unnoticed initially.
These 193 uncounted ballots were discovered in two separate instances - the first batch was found on November 12 and the latter on December 3. This discovery laid the groundwork for the internal probe that followed.
The internal report shed light on training inadequacies as a contributing factor to the initial failure in counting the ballots. This shortfall in effective training was highlighted as a preventable error had proper protocols been followed.
However, the report harshly criticized the former clerk for not utilizing numerous opportunities to ensure the ballots were counted post-Election Day. Although it was a training fault that initiated the failure, the absence of corrective action by Witzel-Behl underscored a significant fault on her part.
By December 18, 2024, Witzel-Behl reported the issue to the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC), but by then, the delayed response had already compounded the error. As the internal report was finalized, it labeled the failure in count as a "dereliction of duties."
The investigation into the misconduct concluded Witzel-Behl had committed "significant violations" of city policy. This mismanagement did not directly breach state laws, offering some relief amidst the controversy.
The report stated, "While the mistake in getting the ballots counted on Election Night appears to have been primarily a process of training failure that could have been avoided, there were multiple opportunities for the ballots to have subsequently been counted after Election Day." The investigation pinned the final responsibility firmly on Witzel-Behl’s shoulders.
Despite the initial findings, the investigation by the WEC is ongoing, and there remains a possibility that state law violations could surface in the future, pending further scrutiny. This could potentially lead to more severe consequences for the former city clerk.
The uncounted ballots have stirred concerns among Madison residents about the integrity of the electoral process. The incident feeds into the broader anxiety around the security and reliability of absentee voting, a method that has seen increased utilization in recent years. As WEC continues its investigation, the city of Madison is poised to overhaul its training procedures for election officials to prevent such oversights in future elections. Ensuring that every vote is counted stands as a fundamental pillar to uphold democracy and voter confidence.
In light of these events, the community and officials alike reflect on the critical importance of adherence to electoral procedures and the consequences of any lapses therein. The lessons learned from this incident will likely influence election management practices not just in Madison, but potentially across other jurisdictions as well.
Local government and election boards are currently evaluating additional checks and balances to implement during the electoral process. This step aims to fortify the handling and counting of absentee ballots, ensuring that all future elections reflect the true electoral will of the people.
As officials work on rectifying the errors and improving election security, the public awaits the final determination from the WEC. The outcome of this investigation is expected to have significant implications for how elections are managed, not only in Madison but potentially across the state. The episode has underscored the importance of meticulousness in electoral processes and the pressing need for continuous improvement in election management practices. Ensuring the integrity of every vote remains a priority for Madison's election authorities as they move forward from this incident.