Milwaukee South News

Residents in Milwaukee can be assured of the accuracy of the November General Election results after a post-election audit of voting equipment used in the Village of Hales Corners was completed. The audit focused on Wards 1, 2, and 3 reporting units, which were chosen at random by the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) during a public event.

The audit was conducted on November 27, 2024, by election workers who verified that the voting machines functioned correctly and ensured accurate election conduct. Wisconsin law mandates such audits after each General Election to verify vote totals with an independent hand count of ballots. The final tally is then compared to the election night results.

The review covered 1,661 ballots cast in these wards and revealed no discrepancies between tabulator results and audited outcomes. All audit materials have been submitted to the WEC for further analysis. If any discrepancies arise, they are investigated thoroughly, and explanations may be requested from voting machine vendors. Following this process, WEC staff will prepare a public report for consideration by the Commissioners.

Post-election audits examine about 10% of state reporting units as a final verification step. Although not all municipalities undergo this audit, every county had at least one reporting unit included in the sample for 2024. Discrepancies are rare and usually result from human error; training protocols are updated accordingly to prevent recurrence.

Pre-election tests ensure programming accuracy by processing pre-marked ballots through each tabulator and checking generated results tapes for errors before elections begin. Additionally, both county and state officials review election results for inconsistencies before certification by the WEC chair.

For more details about the 2024 post-election audit: https://elections.wi.gov/2024-voting-equipment-audit

General information on audits: https://elections.wi.gov/elections/voting-equipment-wisconsin/voting-equipment-security