The trial of a former Milwaukee elections official accused of faking military absentee ballots begins Monday.
Kimberly Zapata was criminally charged with misconduct in public office and three counts of making false statements to obtain absentee ballots. She's accused of sending fake military absentee ballots to GOP lawmaker Janel Brandtjen, the Menomonee Falls Republican who allegedly promoted overturning the results of the 2020 presidential election in Wisconsin.
The criminal complaint in the case states Brandtjen received three absentee ballots at her home in Menomonee Falls on Oct. 28. The ballots were filled out with names of people who do not exist, prosecutors say, and mailed to clerks in Menomonee Falls, Shorewood, and South Milwaukee. They were all classified as military absentee ballots.
Zapata has said she was trying to expose flaws in the election system.
Jury selection for the trial began at 9:30 a.m. in Milwaukee County. Opening arguments will begin as soon as jurors receive instruction from the judge.
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