The Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) issued a formal directive on Friday to City of Green Bay Clerk Celestine Jeffreys mandating she adhere to state statutes concerning Election Day Registration. The order is in response to a complaint filed by the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF), which accused Jeffreys of neglecting her legal obligations under Wisconsin’s voter registration laws.
In a Monday statement, PILF president J. Christian Adams lauded Commission’s decision, stating, “This order is not merely a procedural correction but a pivotal affirmation of our commitment to maintaining the rule of law. The integrity of our elections cannot be compromised by oversight or negligence.”
Records show that during the proceedings, Jeffreys (pictured above) acknowledged her failure to comply with these laws, citing a “lack of awareness.”
The WEC’s order requires Jeffreys to immediately commence and perform audits of addresses provided by voters registering on Election Day. These audits are a statutory requirement aimed at verifying the authenticity of voter addresses, thereby ensuring the integrity of the electoral process.
The Commission wrote:
Clerk Jeffreys is ordered to take affirmative steps to comply with Wis. Stat. § 6.56(3) as well as the Commission’s updated EDR postcard guidance from February 2023. She is further ordered to certify to the Commission that she has completed her EDR report in accordance with Wis. Stat. § 6.56(3) and the Wisconsin Elections Commission guidelines at the earliest time practicable after the November 5, 2024 election, but no later than Monday, February 3, 2025.
The enforcement of the audits is part of a larger effort by PILF to scrutinize and uphold election procedures across Wisconsin. Following the 2024 Presidential election, the group says they plan to investigate and ascertain that all election officials have complied with these mandatory address audits. The election integrity initiative aims to prevent and prosecute any instances of fraudulent voting using Election Day Registration.
The complaint against Jeffreys is part of a broader legal battle by PILF, which also includes a lawsuit against WEC for allegedly concealing records related to the guidelines provided to clerks for handling EDR.
Election Day Registration, while intended to enhance voter turnout, has sparked significant debate over its vulnerability to misuse.
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Christina Botteri is the Executive Editor at The Star News Network.
Photo “City of Green Bay Clerk Celestine Jeffreys” by City of Green Bay.
