Wisconsin Voters Hold Mixed Views on Election Integrity

New poll shows conflicting opinions on accuracy of vote counting and noncitizen voting

Mar. 30, 2026 at 10:03am

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A new Marquette Law School poll in Wisconsin reveals that while a majority of voters are confident votes will be accurately cast and counted in the upcoming midterm election, many also believe election clerks are submitting false vote tallies and that noncitizens are illegally voting - both of which are rare occurrences according to state election officials.

Why it matters

The conflicting views on Wisconsin's election system come after a state investigation into a clerk's failure to count nearly 200 ballots in 2024, former President Trump's ongoing campaign to sow doubt in the state's 2020 election results, and a renewed Republican focus on preventing noncitizen voting. These findings raise concerns for democracy advocates seeking to counter election misinformation.

The details

The Marquette poll found that 78% of voters are very or somewhat confident that votes cast in November will be accurately counted. However, 44% believe election clerks sometimes or often submit false vote tallies, while 31% say this happens hardly ever and 25% say never. Additionally, 47% of voters think noncitizens or non-Wisconsin residents sometimes or often illegally vote, while 30% say hardly ever and 24% say never. State election officials say they have found no evidence of clerks submitting false tallies or significant noncitizen voting.

  • The Marquette Law School poll was conducted in March 2026.
  • A state investigation into a Madison clerk's failure to count nearly 200 ballots occurred in 2024.
  • Former President Trump has been campaigning for 5 years to sow doubt in Wisconsin's 2020 election results.

The players

Marquette University Law School

The institution that conducted the poll revealing Wisconsin voters' mixed views on election integrity.

Wisconsin Elections Commission

The state agency that oversees elections and says it has found no evidence of election clerks submitting false vote tallies or significant noncitizen voting.

Barry Burden

Director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Elections Research Center, who says the mixed poll responses reflect misunderstandings about how elections operate.

The Democracy Defense Project Wisconsin Board

A bipartisan group that expressed concerns about the poll findings and the need to restore voter faith in the election process.

Donald Trump

The former president who has been campaigning for 5 years to sow doubt in Wisconsin's 2020 election results.

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What they’re saying

“We have not received any reports of election clerks submitting false vote tallies. The Commission has also found no evidence that Wisconsin's election systems have ever been compromised.”

— Emilee Miklas, Wisconsin Elections Commission spokeswoman

“The overall message is that voters think elections are run pretty well. They have a substantial level of confidence, but not perfect confidence in the elections, and they don't believe that elections are perfect.”

— Barry Burden, Director, University of Wisconsin-Madison Elections Research Center

“The findings of Marquette Law's latest poll show that while there are positive signs for faith in local election administrators, we have a long way to go before we will truly restore voter faith in the election process.”

— The Democracy Defense Project Wisconsin Board

What’s next

The judge overseeing the lawsuit against the Wisconsin Elections Commission over the lack of citizenship verification requirements is expected to rule on whether to lift the stay on his previous order to implement such a system.

The takeaway

This poll highlights the persistent challenges in restoring full public confidence in Wisconsin's election system, even as state officials insist the system is secure and accurate. Addressing voter misunderstandings and combating election misinformation will be crucial going forward.