The City of Racine is addressing an issue on the ballots for the upcoming April 7, 2026, election.
According to a news release from the city, election staff discovered that the uncontested municipal judge race was omitted from ballots printed and distributed to the municipality through the Racine County Clerk's Office. City election staff say the race, including the sole candidate Judge Rob Weber, was publicly noticed by the city, including publication in WisVote, MyVote Wisconsin, and through a notice in the newspaper.
City officials say they did not have an opportunity to review or proof the final ballot before it was printed.
Early voting is underway, including mailed absentee ballots and in-person absentee voting, which began this week.
The omission won't affect the outcome of the municipal judge race, since it is uncontested, but city officials say they are taking steps to ensure all voters have the opportunity to participate fully.
City officials say a corrected ballot will be issued to voters who have already been mailed an absentee ballot, and the city is working with state election officials to determine the appropriate process for voters who have already voted in-person absentee.
Officials say voters may complete and return the corrected ballot, which will replace their original ballot. They say if a voter chooses not to return their new ballot, their original ballot will still be counted with no vote recorded for the municipal judge race.
Once the corrected ballot is available, city officials will contact affected voters directly with instructions on completing the corrected ballot. Anyone who has already mailed an absentee ballot will automatically receive a new ballot.
Officials with the City Clerk’s Office say they are coordinating with county election officials and they have reached out to state election authorities to confirm that this contingency plan complies with all applicable laws and preserves the integrity of the election.
“We are taking every measure possible to ensure that no one is disenfranchised,” said City Clerk Tara McMenamin. “We will be reaching out using phone, email, and all available contact information to ensure that every eligible voter in the City of Racine who has already submitted a ballot receives a corrected ballot and the opportunity to vote in the Municipal Judge race.”
Officials say additional information, including timing and instructions for returning corrected ballots, will be shared as soon as possible.
They say moving forward, the City will advocate for a change in state law that would permit City Clerks to print ballots within their own municipalities.
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