Wisconsin
Record-breaking ballots cast in Wisconsin, only one week into in-person absentee voting
MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – In-person absentee voting began on Tuesday the 22nd, and one week later, over 405,000 in-person absentee ballots have been reported.
“It’s been busy, we’ve been setting records on early voting here and around the country too,” said Dane County Clerk, Scott McDonell.
Across the United States, this year has been record-breaking for early voting. And, there is still another week until Election Day.
Early voting continues until Sunday, but McDonell says early voting hours differ by community so be sure to check when they are open before going to vote.
“For me, early voting is probably the best way to vote, you know, who knows what’s going to happen on Election Day, you could be sick, it could be pouring rain,” McDonnell explained. “You know that it’s received, you don’t have to worry about the mail being delayed, and then your witness is the clerk, so you know that part of it was handled correctly, so I think that’s part of why we’re seeing record numbers.”
McDonell also says lines on Election Day may be shorter due to the increase of people voting early, and lines are already getting shorter after the first few days.
Jade Braxton in Fitchburg voted Tuesday and said it only took her five to ten minutes to register and vote.
“This was my first time early voting, I always vote the day of, I’m doing this forever and ever now, this is great,” explained Braxton.
McDonell encourages everyone to have a plan to vote. He says that on Election Day, a lot can happen which could hinder your opportunity to vote on Election Day.
“This is an election that you’re vote is definitely going to matter, I know some people don’t think it’s going to matter, well you’re in a swing state, so it’s going to matter,” explained McDonnel.
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Body camera shows Wisconsin officer shooting, killing dog in Mequon
Body camera footage from April 23, 2026 shows a Thiensville officer firing at two dogs running at him. He continues to fire as they run away, killing one.
A Thiensville officer fired 16 shots at two stray dogs, killing one, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has been tracking the fallout.
The officer, Richard C. McCormick, resigned during an internal investigation. The shooting is now under review by the Ozaukee County District Attorney’s Office.
Here’s what to know about the case and what to do if you encounter a stray or lost dog:
What brought the Thiensville officer to the Mequon intersection?
On April 23, 2026, Mequon police responded to a call shortly after 1 a.m. for two loose dogs at Highland and Cedarburg Roads. The Mequon officers decided to return in the morning, when they could seek help from the humane society.
About two hours later, McCormick saw the dogs at the same intersection, outside his jurisdiction. McCormick stopped and tried to capture them. He was not responding to a new 911 call or other request for help. He was aware of the earlier call about the dogs.
What happened during the shooting?
Body camera footage obtained by the Journal Sentinel showed the dogs bounding toward McCormick after he opened a rear door of his squad.
The officer fired at least two shots near the ground, in what he later said was an attempt to scare the dogs. Video showed the dogs running away and McCormick continuing to fire across the road, even after one of the dogs collapsed on the ground and howled.
Six minutes later, McCormick fired a final shot from close range to euthanize the dog on the ground. The other dog escaped into the woods.
A national expert on police-dog encounters told the Journal Sentinel there were “valid concerns” about the shooting, noting that McCormick continued firing even as the dogs ran away from him.
What happened to the second dog?
The shooting came to light after three women tracked and safely trapped the second dog that had been wounded.
The dog, whom they named Ranger, had a bullet in his hip.
Ranger underwent surgery and was still receiving care at the Wisconsin Humane Society Ozaukee Campus as of June 17.
The rescue volunteers – Danielle Dietz, Alicia Hegedus and Karen Bohlmann – pieced together what happened to Ranger and the other dog, whom they nicknamed BD, using public records requests.
They learned that Ranger had been out for 17 days since he had been shot.
What should you do if you encounter a lost or stray dog?
Angela Speed, a spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Humane Society, offered the following suggestions:
- Be cautious. Fearful, injured or ill animals can be reactive when confronted.
- Watch the dog’s body language carefully.
- If the dog is obviously friendly and approachable, check for a collar with information. If an owner cannot be located, take the dog to a local animal shelter.
- If you have safety concerns, call a local non-emergency police or sheriff’s office line.
The volunteers who rescued Ranger have years of experience tracking and safely capturing stray or missing dogs, on their own and with local rescue groups. They offered additional suggestions:
- Note the location where you saw the dog and take a photo, if possible.
- Share that information in local neighborhood groups online, which can include Facebook, NextDoor or Ring.
- Look up nearby lost dog and recovery organizations online and contact those groups for help.
- Never chase a dog.
Wisconsin and head coach Luke Fickell are on an absolute heater in June. The latest move? Edge Rusher Brody Pfannenstiel, who flipped his commitment from Texas Tech to the Badgers, following an official visit.
“I had a great time there,” Pfannenstiel told Badger Blitz. “My whole family had a great time there. They treated us really well, treated us like family. Just had a really good time.”
“I think it’s pretty cool. There’s a lot of people out there. I’m not a big city guy, but it’s a good environment.”
The three-star prospect committed to the Red Raiders in March, but outside linebackers coach Matt Mitchell never let off the gas pedal.
“He’s just showing I’m a big priority,” Pfannentiel explained. “He’s showing a lot of love to my and my family. It means a lot.”
“He stayed very consistent with me. That’s what stuck out with me, too. He even called me after I committed and said, ‘Congrats’ and everything. He’s stuck with me, he cares, and wants to still recruit me.”
Pfannenstiel also had scholarship offers from Ole Miss, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas State, Utah, Louisville, Kansas, and others. Vanderbilt and Nebraska also made plays in the spring to try and flip Pfannenstiel.
The fourth flip for Wisconsin in the 2027 recruiting cycle, Pfannenstiel joins linebacker Keaton Wollan (Iowa State), offensive tackle Jack Tabbert (North Dakota State) and cornerback Mekhi Wlliams (Florida State) as two other prospects who switched up in favor of the Badgers.
UW is up to 23 commitments in its 2027 recruiting class. The Badgers have also edge rusher commitments from Darin Graham and Isaac Miller.
According to Rivals, Pfannenstiel is the nation’s No. 36 ranked edge rusher in the class of 2027. Stay tuned to Badger Blitz for more on his commitment…
MADISON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s attorney for the 2020 campaign in Wisconsin and two former aides all pleaded not guilty Tuesday to felony forgery charges for their roles in a fake elector scheme designed to overturn Trump’s loss in the swing state.
Jim Troupis, a former judge who was Trump’s Wisconsin campaign attorney, Mike Roman, Trump’s director of Election Day operations in 2020, and Ken Chesebro, a former Trump legal adviser, all entered the pleas in Dane County Circuit Court.
Troupis, who lives in the Madison area, appeared in person. Roman and Chesebro appeared via Zoom.
The Wisconsin fake electors case is moving forward even as others in the battleground states of Michigan and Georgia have faltered. A special prosecutor last year dropped a federal case alleging Trump conspired to overturn the 2020 election. Another case in Nevada is still alive.
The fake elector scheme, under which Republican electors in battleground states submitted documentation to Congress attesting that Trump had won their states even though he lost to Joe Biden, originated in Wisconsin.
Troupis, Chesebro and Roman argue that they committed no crime and were just trying to keep their options alive in case a court ruled that Trump had actually won the state.
But prosecutors allege that the three defendants defrauded the 10 Wisconsin Republican electors who cast their ballots for Trump in 2020.
Prosecutors contend that Troupis, Chesebro and Roman lied to the electors about how the certificate they signed would be used as part of a plan to submit paperwork to then-Vice President Mike Pence, falsely claiming that Trump had won the battleground state that year.
A majority of the electors told investigators that they did not believe their signatures on the elector certificate would be submitted to Congress without a court ruling, the complaint said. Also, a majority said they did not consent to having their signatures presented as if Trump had won without such a court ruling, the complaint said.
The arraignment on Tuesday came two years and two weeks after the first charges were brought against the three by Wisconsin Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul. Troupis, Chesebro and Roman face 11 felony forgery charges which are each punishable by up to six years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Troupis and Roman both filed motions seeking to relocate the trial from Dane County, which includes Madison, to neighboring Jefferson County, saying negative publicity had tainted the potential jury pool.
Trump carried Jefferson County by 15 percentage points in 2020. He lost Dane County by nearly 53 points.
“This case is headed to trial,” Troupis attorney Joe Bugni wrote in Troupis’ motion. “No question. Neither side is going to blink. And when we get to trial, Troupis has the right to a fair and impartial jury.”
Troupis and Roman also argued that one of the 11 felony counts against them should be dropped because Trump issued a pardon for any federal crimes related to their work on the fake elector scheme. They argued that the state can’t prosecute them over the casting of electoral votes, which is a federal process, and therefore Trump’s pardon applies.
Trump also pardoned Chesebro.
The judge said Tuesday he would set a schedule to hear arguments on those motions.
The state charges against the Trump attorneys and aide are the only ones in Wisconsin. None of the electors have been charged. The 10 Wisconsin electors, Chesebro and Troupis all settled a lawsuit that was brought against them by Democrats seeking damages.
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