Washington County board canvasses Feb. 18 spring primary returns, notes rejected absentee envelopes and a few machine issues

The Washington County Board of Canvas met Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, to canvass returns from the Feb. 18 spring primary election, reading precinct tape totals, noting rejected absentee envelopes and operational issues at several polling places, and conducting a post-election audit that matched the vote tapes.

Staff member 2, a staff member, opened the session saying, "We are doing the canvas for the returns of the spring primary election that was held on 02/18/2025." The board read results precinct by precinct for the state superintendent of public instruction race and other local contests, documented seals and inspector statements, and identified rejected absentee ballots and equipment incidents to be noted in the minutes.

Why it matters: The canvass is the formal review that verifies precinct tapes, inspector statements and absentee envelopes before results are finalized. Rejected absentee envelopes and machine problems can require follow-up with clerks and, in a small number of cases, additional procedural steps before counts are certified.

The board recorded multiple examples of rejected absentee envelopes and the reasons given at precincts: missing witness signatures, missing voter signatures, duplicated envelopes or ballots, incomplete witness addresses and at least one instance of a returned ballot marked "deceased." One precinct reported three rejected absentee envelopes (one unsigned, one missing witness, one noting a deceased voter) and another noted six rejected absentees for missing signatures or witness information. The board asked staff to follow up on a missing rejected-envelope packet for District 4 in the Village of Germantown so that the record is complete.

Officials also logged operational problems at a small number of polling locations. At one site, staff "did have to reach out to Command Central, and a tech came and replaced their machine," Staff member 1 said when describing a morning ballot-jam that required vendor support. In another location election staff discussed memory-card and machine-replacement procedures and whether a pretest was required if memory cards are changed. Several precincts confirmed use of Badger Books for voter check-in.

The board conducted a post-election audit (a hand or paper check on a sampled race) for a single race selected for review; staff reported that audit totals matched the vote tapes. "That is all. And that is perfect," Staff member 1 said after the audit returned results consistent with the machine tapes. Staff also noted that the same canvass procedures and the audit form will be used for forthcoming Supreme Court and Court of Appeals races and for the April DPI-related canvass.

Procedural clarifications and questions arose in public discussion among election staff about when a third party may deliver an absentee ballot. Staff member 1 explained the test used at polling places: "If it's because you're that person's designee and they're sick or injured or whatever medical reason, then you can bring it in for them." Staff emphasized that clerks must ask the standard series of questions and follow the county's procedures when deciding whether to accept a ballot delivered by another person.

No formal challenges to precinct totals were recorded in the transcript of the session. The board recessed mid-session while staff located a missing packet of absentee envelopes and then resumed; after completing counts, sealing bags and documenting inspector statements and tape serial numbers, the board moved on to the audit and administrative wrap-up. Staff recorded serial numbers and other identifying information for sealed bags and tapes as part of the official record.

Next steps: election staff will follow up with precinct clerks and the Village of Germantown about the missing rejected-envelope packet, maintain the canvass records and audit paperwork as required, and apply the same canvass procedure to upcoming judicial contests and DPI items, as discussed.