Unofficial Voter Documents Cause Some Concern

Organizations are sending registration forms to Wisconsinites in hopes of increasing voter turnout on election day. But local officials say some of these forms can cause confusion.

Some residents are receiving legal but unofficial voter documents from private groups. They appear to be from the government but are not. Tomah City Clerk Jo Cram says these forms often lack vital information or are inaccurate, “The state form asks if you are a new Wisconsin voter, if this is an address change and this is a name change. Some of these don’t have that at all.”

The Voter Participation Center is one of the groups sending voter registration forms and absentee ballots to Tomah in western Wisconsin. Chief Operating Officer Gale Kitch says the center sends people registration forms with some information already filled in. Kitch says mistakes do happen, “They can call us they can call and have us change the information I’ve certainly taken information saying that’s the wrong number, or X hasn’t lived here.”

The Government Accountability Board says Tomah is not the only community in Wisconsin that has received these unofficial election documents.