GREEN BAY, Wis. – In a clear effort to restore voter confidence, the City of Green Bay announced a series of procedural upgrades to its absentee ballot mailing system ahead of the November election. City officials say the new steps will prevent the repeat of last year’s duplicate‑ballot mishap that sent hundreds of voters extra ballots.

New safeguards in the clerk’s office

Inside the clerk’s office, staff now place labels on each envelope, insert the ballot, voter instructions and a return envelope, and then the clerk or deputy clerk initials both the ballot and its outer covering. “We always have people doing a double check of everything,” said Stacy Menke, the city’s interim clerk. “This time we just had a separate check at the end comparing the name against a list in WisVote.”

The extra verification step ensures that the name on each ballot matches the official voter list before the envelope is sealed and mailed.

Why the changes were needed

The Wisconsin Elections Commission previously investigated Green Bay after duplicate absentee ballots were mailed in the April and August elections. The probe uncovered that former clerk Celestine Jeffreys had mistakenly printed ballot labels twice, resulting in 152 voters receiving two ballots in April and at least 244 in August. The commission determined that Jeffreys violated state law by sending out the extra ballots, though only one ballot per voter was ultimately counted.

Menke, who assumed the interim clerk role after Jeffreys’ resignation, emphasized that the revised process is designed to avoid any repeat of those errors. “If for any reason we needed to go back into that file, both the deputy clerk and I would have to sign off, or a legal officer would need to approve a reprint,” she explained.

Confidence in the upcoming election

City officials are optimistic that the new safeguards will reassure voters who expressed concern after the previous mishaps. “I understand they need additional reassurances after the last couple of elections,” Menke said. “That can only be done with time. I can speak words, but they’re going to have to see the proof of that and trust our process that it was successful.”

For the initial mailing batch, Green Bay sent just over 5,600 absentee ballots. Menke expects an average of about 150 additional requests per day as Election Day approaches, and she encourages voters to return their ballots early, noting recent delays with the United States Postal Service.

Local impact and broader context

The updated process reflects a broader commitment by local officials to uphold the integrity of the voting system while respecting the constitutional right of every citizen to cast a ballot. By tightening internal controls and adding transparent checks, Green Bay is setting a practical example for other municipalities facing similar challenges.

While national conversations continue about mail‑in voting and postal service reliability, Green Bay’s proactive steps demonstrate how local government can address concerns directly, protect the sanctity of each vote, and keep families confident that their civic duty is being honored.

What voters should know

• All absentee ballots are now double‑checked against the WisVote list before mailing.
• Both the clerk and deputy clerk must sign off on any re‑printing of ballot materials.
• Voters are urged to return completed ballots early to avoid postal delays.
• Any questions about the process can be directed to the City Clerk’s Office.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.