Wisconsin judge dismisses absentee ballot challenge

Circuit Judge David Weber on Monday dismissed a lawsuit alleging the state Elections Commission did not follow proper procedures for absentee voting. A state law requires voters who request an absentee ballot online to include a physical copy of that request inside the envelope when returning their ballot. Thomas Oldenburg filed a complaint in February claiming election officials had not honored the protocol and that absentee ballots returned without a physical copy of the request were invalid.

The commission claimed that the envelope signature required by voters confirming that they requested the ballot was sufficient proof of their request. Election officials also voiced concern over changing protocol mere months before several major elections because materials could not be reprinted in time for the general election. Online records did not include a full transcript of the oral order nor any further explanation for the dismissal. Absentee voting guidelines and standards have been hotly debated since allegations of fraud emerged after the 2020 election.

Meanwhile, in Arizona: The Department of Justice said Monday it would monitor Maricopa County’s compliance with federal voting rights laws in its Tuesday primary. The DOJ did not explain why it chose the county for surveillance. The department regularly deploys staff to monitor compliance with federal rights during elections in communities across the country, according to the statement.