Green Bay Clerk's Office Sends Duplicate Ballots to 152 Voters

Printing error during Blizzard of '26 leads to mailing of extra absentee ballots.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 8:25pm

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A serene, photorealistic painting of a lone ballot box sitting in a dimly lit room, with warm sunlight streaming in through a window and casting deep shadows across the scene, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation about the importance of secure and reliable elections.The unexpected challenges of the Blizzard of '26 exposed vulnerabilities in Green Bay's ballot management procedures, raising concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.Green Bay Today

The Green Bay city clerk's office sent duplicate absentee ballots to 152 voters after a printing error occurred while staff and volunteers were working to mail ballots on time during the Blizzard of '26. Some address labels were printed twice, resulting in voters receiving two ballots. The error was discovered after calls to the clerk's office, and letters were sent to affected voters instructing them to cast only one ballot and destroy the other.

Why it matters

Sending duplicate ballots to voters can lead to confusion and potential voter fraud if not properly addressed. This incident highlights the importance of robust ballot management procedures, especially during high-turnout elections or in the face of unexpected challenges like severe weather.

The details

Clerk Celestine Jeffreys said the mistake happened while staff and volunteers were working to mail ballots on time. Some address labels were printed twice, resulting in voters receiving two ballots. The error was discovered after calls to the clerk's office, and letters were sent to affected voters instructing them to cast only one ballot and destroy the other.

  • The printing error occurred during the Blizzard of '26.

The players

Celestine Jeffreys

The Green Bay city clerk who disclosed the ballot printing error and the steps taken to address it.

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What they’re saying

“Such an incident had never occurred before. The clerk's office now plans to mark batches already printed to prevent similar mistakes.”

— Celestine Jeffreys, Green Bay City Clerk

What’s next

The clerk's office conducts a daily audit of returned ballots and maintains a specific ballot file used for audits to ensure voters don't cast their votes twice.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the importance of robust ballot management procedures and the need for election officials to be vigilant in preventing errors, especially during high-turnout elections or in the face of unexpected challenges. Proper safeguards and auditing processes are crucial to maintaining the integrity of the electoral process.