Election integrity is essential for democracy. We have an opportunity to exercise our election integrity muscles if a Wisconsin Recount is called this week. 

We want to see an accurate count of all votes, including for Green write-ins. We want to observe how the process works since the laws were changed after then Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein’s 2016 Recount demand, Next time it may be a Green in a close race with a recount.

In Wisconsin, counties have until November 17th to finish their canvassing of the vote. “Aggrieved” candidates have until 5pm the following business day to request a recount. The Wisconsin Legislature changed this deadline from three days to one day, and added in the requirement that only the top two finishers could file for a recount, clearly in response to the Green demand for a recount in 2016.

The recount would then begin within one to three days, after all candidates have been notified and the counties have been able to make plans. 

If you are interested in observing the recount, please sign up to the right. We thank you for your commitment to election integrity, but need to be clear that we want you to leave immediately if it is unsafe in any way. Election officials may not require observers to wear masks, or enforce mask wearing, and we cannot guarantee six feet distancing rules will be in effect.

You may wish to deliberately choose a smaller jurisdiction to observe, rather than hot spots like Milwaukee or Dane where we can anticipate close scrutiny. 

Howie and Angela were certified write-in candidates in Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Election Commission (WEC) said that if there comes a time when they need to ask observers to leave due to overcrowding, that you can request to stay as their representatives. Each party has a right to at least one representative. If you sign up to observe, we will send you a letter to show election officials, if requested. 

Our campaign has an interest in making sure our write-in votes are counted. Moreover, we believe that recounts are an important tool in the democratic process. We are not there to help Trump or Biden win; our focus is on election integrity, and the belief that all votes should be counted accurately.

Recounts provide an opportunity for fair examinations of vote counting procedures, to make sure results are fair and accurate. Jill Stein’s recount demands in 2016 led not only to a change in Wisconsin’s recount laws, but also to recountable paper ballots being used in Pennsylvania. 

Boards of canvassers in each county are currently focussed on certifying their results. Please visit the WEC website to see if your county, or one you may be interested in observing, has already certified.  

Right now, we have limited information about how a Wisconsin Recount may look other than the Recount Manual that the WEC put together, including a check list on pages 9-11. We recommend you call counties directly to try to get more information, after a recount request has been made. We will also be in touch as we learn more. 

Prior to observing, in addition to the Recount Manual, please read the information put together by the Citizens for Election Integrity — Wisconsin Recount Laws and their excellent Recount Principles and Best Practices.

After each observation shift, please complete our WI Recount Report Form.