Listen To WPR online Live Streaming Page Archive Streaming Page Click here to support WPR! Return to the WPR Home Page
Explore WPR
WPR Home
Support WPR!
Support WPR's Online Community!
Contact Us
About WPR
Newsletters and Reports
Studios, Stations and Program Schedules
Station Coverage Maps, Reception and Technical Issues
WPR Program Index
The Ideas Network
The NPR News and Classical Network
WPR News
Internet Webcasting
WPR's National SHows
The Radio Store
Related Links

WPR Programs
Search wpr.org
This Month's Featured Stories
NEWS LINKS: WPR News Home | Bureaus | Reporters | Awards
FEATURES: Specials, Series & Documentaries | Wisconsin Vote | Wisconsin Life | StoryCorps
RYAN ATTACKS ELECTIONS BOARD ON MILITARY VOTING WPR News - Ryan Attacks Elections Board on Military Voting
Tuesday October 16, 2012 by Shawn Johnson

Republican Vice Presidential nominee Paul Ryan used a Waukesha town hall forum Monday to attack Wisconsin's elections agency, accusing it of mishandling absentee ballots for military voters.

The Romney-Ryan campaign is suing the Government Accountability Board to try to give military and overseas voters extra time to return ballots. At issue are some municipalities that failed to send ballots before a federal deadline. Ryan was asked about the situation at his campaign forum and immediately blamed the state, "You can't selectively enforce our election laws. You can't selectively enforce voting rights. And of all the people who have a right to vote, it's our men and women in uniform, especially those that are overseas serving us right now."

Just how many people are affected by this depends on how you slice the numbers. The Government Accountability Board says clerks sent a total of 37 ballots less than 45 days before the election. Forty five days is what's required under federal law. But Wisconsin law allows for a cushion of an extra three days after the election for ballots to be counted. Government Accountability Board Spokesman Reid Magney says most clerks hit that goal, "Only four ballots were sent out too late to have the required 45 days transit time to reach the voter and to be returned for counting."

In a letter to the Romney-Ryan campaign sent before this lawsuit was filed, the Board said it had already worked with the U.S. Department of Justice to make sure those voters got their ballots in time to have them counted.

You can also listen to this story or download it now! (1:21)



Support for WPR provided by

Shop Now!



Support WPR!


HOME | ABOUT | PROGRAM INDEX | MEMBERSHIP | SPONSORSHIPS | WPR NEWS
IDEAS NETWORK | NEWS & CLASSICAL NETWORK | RADIO STORE
LIVE STREAMS | AUDIO ARCHIVES

For questions or comments about our programming, call Audience Services
at 1-800-747-7444, email us at listener@wpr.org, or use our Online Feedback Form.
View our Privacy Policy.   Send comments about our website to webmaster@wpr.org.

©2013 by Wisconsin Public Radio - a service of the
Wisconsin Educational Communications Board
and University of Wisconsin - Extension.