MADISON, Wis. – President Donald Trump’s campaign will file a petition on Wednesday, Nov. 18 for a recount in two Wisconsin counties – Milwaukee and Dane.
The campaign cites “illegally altered absentee ballots, illegally issued absentee ballots, and illegal advice given by government officials allowing Wisconsin’s Voter ID laws to be circumvented.” Again, this WILL NOT be a statewide vote recount.
The Trump campaign said in a news release, these “two counties were selected because they are the locations of the worst irregularities. Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. transferred $3 million to Wisconsin to cover the estimated cost of the recounts.”
The Wisconsin Elections Commission says no petition has been received yet, but the Trump campaign has told WEC staff one will be filed Wednesday.
In Milwaukee and Dane counties, Democrat Joe Biden received 577,455 votes. He won statewide by 20,608 votes, based on canvassed results submitted by the counties.
The recount, once formally approved by the elections commission chair, could start as soon as Thursday and no later than Saturday. It would have to be complete by Dec. 1.
Recounts in Wisconsin and across the country have historically resulted in very few vote changes. A 2016 presidential recount in Wisconsin netted Trump an additional 131 votes.
President Trump won Wisconsin by fewer than 23,000 votes that year and opposed the recount brought by Green Party candidate Jill Stein.
President Trump and other Republicans have made claims of fraud and irregularities in the Wisconsin election, without evidence. The state’s top elections chief and local officials have said there were no substantial reports of problems or wrongdoing.
