Wisconsin presidential recount in 4th day, with few changes

Photo: John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP. Attorneys representing the presidential campaigns of Donald Trump and Joe Biden converse during a meeting with Dane County elections officials as a recount of ballots cast by voters in the county commences at the Monona Terrace convention center in Madison, Wis., Friday, Nov. 20, 2020. Speaking at center right is Diane Welsh, an attorney representing the Biden campaign, while at center left, Trump attorney Christ Troupis listens in.

Associated Press
Updated: November 23, 2020 12:02 PM
Created: November 23, 2020 10:56 AM

Wisconsin's partial presidential recount entered its fourth day Monday, with very few changes in vote totals as President Donald Trump's attorneys appeared to be focused on a legal challenge seeking to toss tens of thousands of ballots, including the one cast by an attorney for the campaign.

Democrat Joe Biden won the state by about 20,600 votes and his margin in Milwaukee and Dane counties was about 2-to-1. Those are the only counties where Trump paid to have a recount.

Trump's attorneys have objected to counting any absentee ballots where voters identified themselves as “indefinitely confined;” where information on the certification envelope is in two different ink colors, indicating a poll worker may have helped complete it; and where there is not a separate written record for it having been requested, including all in-person absentee ballots.

Wisconsin officials: Trump observers obstructing recount

All of those ballots were being counted during the recount, but could be targeted as part of a Trump legal challenge.

Discarding ballots as requested by Trump's campaign would result in Trump’s Wisconsin attorney, Jim Troupis, having his ballot not count, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Troupis, a former Dane County judge, voted early using the state’s in-person absentee option along with his wife. They were both listed on exhibits Troupis presented to the Dane County Board of Canvassers on Sunday that the Trump campaign argued had voted illegally.

Troupis did not immediately respond to a text message Monday seeking comment.

Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell said Monday that the recount was nearly 25% done in that county, with nearly 83,000 ballots out of more than 345,000 cast having been recounted. Those recounted so far in both counties showed changes of only a handful of votes from what was reported on election night.

“It seems to be picking up,” McDonell said of the recount. “We're a little bit behind scheduled but not a lot behind schedule.”

Milwaukee County had hoped to be done by Wednesday, but due to delays caused by objections raised by Trump supporters the work is expected to go closer to the Dec. 1 deadline for completion.