In a victory for election integrity, the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) has ordered Green Bay City Clerk Celestine Jeffreys to conduct mandatory voter registration audits after repeated failures to follow state election law. The directive, issued just before Election Day, reinforces Wisconsin’s commitment to transparency in elections.
The order stems from a complaint filed by the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF), which accused Jeffreys of ignoring crucial audits required by state law. According to PILF, Jeffreys failed to audit Election Day registrations in multiple elections between 2020 and 2023, potentially allowing unverified or ineligible votes to remain in the system.
“It's the fifth time that Green Bay Clerk Celestine Jeffreys has personally been a respondent to a Wisconsin Elections Commission complaint since 2021.”
— Jennifer Asper (@j3669) September 25, 2024
The WEC found probable cause that Jeffreys’ actions were a violation of election law, ordering her to take “affirmative steps” to complete audits and certify her compliance to the commission no later than February 2025. The commission underscored the importance of these audits, highlighting updated guidance from February 2023 that mandates strict handling of returned registration postcards to verify voter addresses.
Jeffreys acknowledged that she had not been following these procedures, attributing her failure to a “lack of awareness.” Nevertheless, election integrity advocates argue that her position demands strict adherence to election law, especially in a state as politically significant as Wisconsin.
Controversial Wisconsin Clerk Admits To Violating Election Laws
It’s more of the same from Celestine Jeffreys in a city that made national news during the Zuckerbucks scandal of 2020. pic.twitter.com/Pv5cm5vTzg— Doug M (@DougM52019872) May 15, 2024
PILF President J. Christian Adams called WEC’s order a “win for the rule of law,” noting that his organization would monitor post-election audits to confirm compliance. Adams emphasized, “Nobody should think they can use Election Day Registration to cast a fraudulent ballot and get away with it.”
With Wisconsin’s status as a battleground state, adherence to election procedures is essential. This ruling not only strengthens accountability but also underscores the importance of election laws in ensuring fair and transparent voting practices across the state.
