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Nearly 400 uncounted ballots found in Wisconsin recount
Nearly 400 absentee ballots cast in Milwaukee that were not opened on Election Day were discovered as part of a recount Tuesday.
Milwaukee - Milwaukee election workers discover nearly 400 unopened, uncounted absentee ballots, found underneath opened, counted absentee ballot envelopes. The mistake was discovered on the fifth day of the recount.
The city’s top elections official, Claire Woodall-Vogg, said not counting the 386 ballots on Nov. 3 was due to human error by new election inspectors.
"In the eight years that I have worked for the (Milwaukee) Election Commission, we've never had an error like this occur at central count, so it was surprising," Woodall-Vogg told FOX6.
2020 presidential election recount in Milwaukee County
The Trump campaign argued the votes should not allowed because protocols were not followed. The Biden campaign argued to have them processed. The county board of canvassers agreed, voting unanimously to allow the ballots as part of the recount.
"If there's a ballot here and it's been brought here and it's been in the appropriate custody and everything, there's no reason for us not to open it up and have it counted," said Rick Baas, the lone Republican on the three-person county canvassing board.
2020 presidential election recount in Milwaukee County
As of Tuesday morning, recounted ballots, not including those newly discovered, showed a net gain of 57 votes for Trump.
Vote recount at the Wisconsin Center in downtown Milwaukee
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Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson said the recount could end soon.
"I've been saying Saturday. And we've moved on pretty, pretty fast here," Christensen said. "I would expect, perhaps (an) outside chance tomorrow, but most likely Friday or Saturday morning."
Miwaukee County has finished counting 380,000 of it's 460,000 total votes, finishing work in 16 of its 19 municipalities, Christenson reported.
The recount is about 36% complete in Dane County and only “slightly behind schedule,” said Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell.
Neither county planned to work on Thanksgiving. They must complete the recount by Dec. 1, the deadline for certifying the vote.
Trump is widely expected to file a lawsuit challenging tens of thousands of absentee ballots once the recount is complete. During the recount, Trump’s campaign has raised objections to broad categories of ballots, including all absentee ballots cast in-person.
With the recount ongoing, conservatives have asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to block the state from certifying the election, raising issues with an estimated 156,000 votes.
President Trump has suffered a series of legal defeats in other states.
(Photos by Drew Angerer & Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
On Tuesday, Biden's win in Pennsylvania was certified. That win, giving him Pennsylvania's 20 electoral votes, had put him over the 270 needed and led The Associated Press to declare Biden the president-elect four days after Election Day. Biden has collected 306 overall electoral votes to Trump’s 232.
Wisconsin has 10 electoral votes.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
Milwaukee County could complete recount as soon as Wednesday
Milwaukee County could complete the recounting of its presidential election results as soon as Wednesday and no later than Friday.