Milwaukee orders recount of 31,000 absentee ballots, likely delaying results in Wisconsin

Election officials successful Milwaukee said Tuesday they volition proceed with a recount of much than 30,000 absentee ballots owed to tabulation issues, an mistake expected to hold the reporting of results from a hotly contested battleground state. 

Milwaukee metropolis spokesperson Jeff Fleming told reporters Tuesday officials decided to bid the recount for the 31,000 absentee ballots aft they discovered issues with 13 tabulator machines.

The machines either lacked their carnal seals oregon were not secured properly by elder predetermination officials, Fleming said. All volition beryllium reset and recounted. 

The determination to recount the absentee ballots was made successful consultation with Republican and Democratic officials, according to a region spokesperson.

GOP PREPARED FOR PIVOTAL COURT BATTLES THAT COULD DECIDE 2024 ELECTION

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic statesmanlike nominee, and erstwhile President Trump, the Republican statesmanlike nominee (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein and Octavio Jones/File Photo)

Fleming told reporters Tuesday the determination to recount the ballots was made retired of "an abundance of caution," adjacent arsenic helium acknowledged the delays the recount volition apt make for the state's broader predetermination results.

Milwaukee is the largest metropolis successful Wisconsin, 1 of 7 battleground states considered cardinal to determining the adjacent president. 

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic statesmanlike nominee, arrives to talk during a run rally astatine the Wisconsin State Fair Expo successful West Allis, Wis., Nov. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Wisconsin is besides 1 of the astir competitory states successful the 2024 predetermination cycle. 

The Badger State is besides 1 of 3 Rust Belt states that voted for Trump successful 2016 earlier flipping successful 2020 to prime Joe Biden. 

Biden won the authorities narrowly successful 2020 by a borderline of 20,682 votes. The constrictive triumph gives the authorities an other inducement to beryllium arsenic transparent and cautious arsenic imaginable successful its ballot counting and reporting process, Fleming stressed Tuesday.

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"What has to beryllium redone is conscionable what’s happening against the partition astatine the machines," Fleming told reporters. "It is gonna widen the clip that we volition get the totals here. We don’t cognize however overmuch longer that volition be. So, it’s not insignificant." 

Republicans chastised Milwaukee for the mistake Tuesday evening, describing it arsenic an "unacceptable illustration of incompetent predetermination medication successful a cardinal plaything state."

A antheral wears a Trump wig and flag. Luzerne County, usually a Democratic county, flipped the predetermination successful 2016. The Pennsylvania region is simply a blistery spot for this election. Trump supporters led a parade done the region successful enactment of the erstwhile president. (Aimee Dilger/SOPA Images/Sipa USA)

Voters "deserve better, and we are unambiguously calling connected Milwaukee’s officials to bash their jobs and number ballots rapidly and effectively," Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley and Co-Chair Lara Trump said successful a statement. 

"Anything little undermines elector confidence."

Get the latest updates from the 2024 run trail, exclusive interviews and much astatine our Fox News Digital predetermination hub.