Mistakenly believing they could vote if they turned 18 years old before the November 2016 general election, a report from the Wisconsin Elections Commission revealed at least 60 Wisconsin minors illegally cast ballots in the primary election.
In a memorandum sent to commission members, Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Michael Haas said several factors contributed to a “large number” of 17-year-olds voting in the primary.
“Many” callers asked the Government Accountability Board if they were able to vote in the primary election if they turned 18 before the 2016 general election. While 17-year-olds in some states are legally allowed to vote in the primaries, it is not legal in Wisconsin.
Haas said some political campaigns and social media spread “false information” to voters and students who believed they were eligible to vote.
Haas previously said a number of 17-year-olds turned up to polling places for the primaries, but most were turned away.
The March memo included a recommended motion to direct staff to send the “Report of Suspected Election Fraud, Irregularities or Violations” to the state Legislature in accordance with state law.
The report, which spans June 30, 2016 to Feb. 15, 2017, shows five 17-year-olds voted in Dane County. A total of 70 cases of 17-year-olds voting were noted, though one entry listed “multiple” individuals.
The report also noted a number of other instances of individuals voting twice in the same election and undeliverable address verification postcards returning to clerks.
The commission is set to meet Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The agenda shows it’s expected to report the alleged voter fraud referrals to the Legislature.
