Green Bay Election Clerk Faces Calls for Removal After Repeat Ballot Errors

Green Bay City Clerk Celestine Jeffreys remains on administrative leave as city officials and state regulators investigate her office's repeated mailing of duplicate absentee ballots to voters ahead of Wisconsin's August primary. The city has replaced a planned independent audit with an internal review, while critics and legal advocates intensify calls for Jeffreys' removal.

Explainer Election Integrity in America: Safeguarding Voter Trust and Ballot Security

The controversy centers on concerns about election integrity and accountability after Jeffreys' office sent out multiple absentee ballots to voters in at least eight city wards, repeating a similar error from earlier this year.

The issue has drawn statewide attention as Green Bay, Wisconsin's third-largest city, faces scrutiny over its election administration. The Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) has opened an investigation, and the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) has urged city leaders to permanently relieve Jeffreys of her duties, citing a "long track record" of errors and noncompliance with state law.

Duplicate Ballots and City Response

According to city officials, the latest incident involved a printing error that resulted in some voters in eight wards receiving two absentee ballots. City communications director Michael Bergman said over 5,000 absentee ballots were mailed by June 25, with the duplication discovered two days later. The city has not disclosed the exact number of affected voters but confirmed that only one ballot per eligible voter will be counted. Jeffreys stated, "I assure our voters that only one ballot per eligible voter will be tabulated."

This marks the second time this year that Jeffreys' office has mailed duplicate ballots, with a previous incident in April affecting at least 152 voters. In both cases, city officials attributed the errors to printing issues and said safeguards were in place to prevent double voting. The city has pledged to provide additional details as the internal investigation continues.

Investigations and Legal Complaints

The Republican Party of Wisconsin and Brown County GOP board member Theresa Sipes filed a complaint with the WEC following the April incident, alleging violations of election law. The WEC has since opened an investigation into Jeffreys' conduct. PILF, a nonpartisan election law group, sent a letter to Mayor Eric Genrich and the city council urging Jeffreys' removal, citing repeated violations of state law and WEC guidance.

PILF's research director Logan Churchwell wrote, "Over the years, it seems Clerk Jeffreys relies on WEC violations for on-the-job training. Madison cannot fix this, but you can. Surely you want the situation to remedy."

"It’s not an ‘oops.’ There’s a long track record of this. It’s up to the mayor’s office and the city council to remove her from that position and hold her accountable, and when that fails to happen, we’re supposed to have WEC do it."

— Doug Reich, chairman, Republican Party of Brown County

Churchwell also noted that two sustained WEC complaints constitute cause for removal under Wisconsin law and Green Bay ordinance. PILF offered to assist the city with investigative materials and support.

City Council and Mayor’s Position

The Green Bay city council's Protection and Policy Committee decided to forgo an independent audit, instead directing city staff to complete a full report on the incident. Findings are scheduled to be presented at the August 18 city council meeting. Mayor Genrich called the errors "unacceptable" but maintained that the city has "no concerns with the security or propriety of the electoral process" and is working to ensure such mistakes are not repeated.

City officials have not provided interviews or additional comment beyond official statements. In April, WEC chairwoman Ann Jacobs described the earlier duplication as "ordinary human error" but said it was unclear how the replications occurred. Jeffreys has previously admitted to not being aware of certain legal requirements, promising to implement new procedures going forward.

Ongoing Oversight and Next Steps

Jeffreys remains on leave during the investigations, with the city and WEC both reviewing her office's practices. The city attorney has stated that Jeffreys was "unaware that she was required to do each of these things, but plans to do so going forward, and is in the process of drafting written procedures for doing so."

The city council will review the staff report at its August 18 meeting, while the WEC continues its separate inquiry. PILF has pledged to provide further documentation and support for any city-led investigation.