A Wisconsin state lawmaker filed a lawsuit Friday to temporarily halt the state’s military ballot counting after she received absentee ballots with fake names. Driving the news: The lawsuit was brought by a group of veterans and three individuals, including state Rep. Janel Brandtjen (R-Menomonee Falls), who has been criticized by election officials for promoting false claims of voter fraud, according to the Washington Post.
“Plaintiffs want to ensure that any close election result is not determined by unqualified individuals casting military absentee ballots,” the lawsuit states.
Details: Brandtjen, who is chairman of the state Assembly’s election committee, allegedly received the fake-name ballots from Kimberly Zapata, a Milwaukee election official, according to the WashPost.
Zapata told prosecutors she was trying to alert Brandtjen to a weakness in the state’s election system so it could be addressed, the WashPost reports. But Zapata was fired and charged with one felony and three misdemeanors. Brandtjen has been criticized by election officials for spreading false information about the system.
Context: Wisconsin, unlike most states, allows members of the military to vote without registering to vote or providing proof of residency.
The lawsuit uses the incident to argue that military ballots should be validated under state law.
What they say: “I think someone was trying to point out how easy it is to get military ballots in Wisconsin. Registration is not required for military ballots, so a virtual name and date of birth is all that is required to obtain a military ballot online,” Brandtjen said in a statement.
“To feel shocked about this situation is an understatement because it shows stolen valor from those who protect this nation,” he added.
