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FACT BRIEF

Can Wisconsin absentee voters cancel their ballots and vote again in the 2022 midterms?

By Hope Karnopp
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NO

Wisconsin voters who change their minds about their votes — or whose chosen candidates drop out before an election — can no longer void their absentee ballots and vote again, a process known as "spoiling." 

A Wisconsin appeals court decided Oct. 27 not to hear an appeal of a lower court's ruling, which required the Wisconsin Elections Commission to rescind its guidance on spoiling that was used in 2016 and 2020 elections.

The WEC and other groups, including the Democratic National Committee, had appealed the ruling. But the judges in both courts sided with a conservative group formed by Republicans, including former U.S. Attorney General William Barr.

Very few Wisconsin voters — between .01% and 1%—spoiled their absentee ballots in recent elections, according to The Associated Press. 

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Wisconsin Watch Wisconsin ballot spoiling is a no-go after court upholds ban
Wisconsin Public Radio Wisconsin Elections Commission retracts 'ballot spoiling' guidance after appeals court loss
AP News Wisconsin judge blocks absentee ballot spoiling
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Wisconsin Watch
Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.