Harry Wait, a Racine County native, was sentenced Tuesday to three years probation on two election fraud charges and one felony charge of identity theft.
The Walworth County courtroom was full of Wait's supporters as the judge handed down the sentence. The state had requested three years probation as well as 90 days in jail, but the judge did not order any jail time, citing Wait's lack of prior criminal history as a 72-year-old and his ongoing health challenges.
READ ALSO | Supporters fill Racine County courtroom as Harry Wait begins trial for election fraud charges Monday
Wait has admitted to requesting absentee ballots for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Racine Mayor Cory Mason in 2022 without their permission. He received Mason's ballot and returned it unopened, but never received Vos's.
Wait, speaking during Tuesday's hearing, said he stands by his actions.
"I would do it again, and again, and again, because I believe it's a fundamental right to engage in civil disobedience when their government is wrong," Wait said.
Watch: No prison time for Racine County man found guilty of election fraud
Wait said he made the requests to expose flaws in the state's MyVote website. The state argued he undermined the public's confidence in voting systems by targeting people he didn't like and drawing attention to it.
Attorney Leigh Neville-Neil, prosecutor with the State of Wisconsin, addressed the significance of the case.
"The right to vote is fundamental, so too is the obligation to not corrupt or manipulate the process," Neville-Neil said in court Tuesday.
When asked about the outcome of the sentencing, Wait said he hopes it sparks broader civic engagement.
"Well, the ultimate outcome is that people become more engaged with government and hold them accountable, and that's what I hope for," Wait said.
While Wait said he does not recommend others do what he did, he remains firm in his convictions.
"The fact is, you have to be civilly disobedient if you want to save our republic," Wait said.
Wait said his classification as a felon is "part of the risk of being a patriot."
Terms of Wait's probation include committing no new crimes, no threats of physical harm to elected officials, and no contact with the victims except as it relates to their official roles. According to Wait, his attorney Joseph Bugni does intend to appeal the conviction.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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