Wisconsin

Nearly 200 ballots went uncounted in Wisconsin and officials want to know why

Published

1 year ago

January 2, 2025

Nearly 200 ballots went uncounted in Wisconsin and officials want to know why

MADISON, Wis. — Nearly 200 absentee ballots somehow went uncounted in Wisconsin’s liberal capital after the Nov. 5 election, prompting state election officials to launch an investigation Thursday into whether the city clerk broke the law.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission voted unanimously to investigate whether Madison City Clerk Maribeth Wetzel-Biehl failed to comply with state law or abused her discretion. Commission members said they were concerned the clerk’s office didn’t inform them of the problem until late December, almost a month and a half after the election. Commission Chair Ann Jacobs certified Wisconsin’s election results on Nov. 29.

Wetzel-Biehl’s office said in a statement that the number of uncounted votes didn’t affect the outcome of any race or referendum on the ballots. But Jacobs said the oversight was “so egregious” that the commission must determine what happened and how it can be prevented as spring elections approach.

“We are the final canvassers,” Jacobs said. “We are the final arbiters of votes in the state of Wisconsin and we need to know why those ballots weren’t included anywhere.”

Wetzel-Biehl said in an email to The Associated Press that her office looks forward to working with the commission to determine what happened and how to prevent the same issues in future elections.

It’s another misstep for Wetzel-Biehl, who announced in September that her office mistakenly sent out up to 2,000 duplicate absentee ballots. She blamed it on a data processing error.

According to election commission documents, the commission learned of the uncounted ballots on Dec. 18, when Wetzel-Biehl’s staff told the commission that they recorded more absentee ballots as received than ballots counted in three city wards.

The commission asked Wetzel-Biehl to provide a detailed statement, which she did two days later. The memo stated that on Nov. 12, the clerk’s office discovered 67 unprocessed ballots for Ward 65 and one unprocessed ballot for Ward 68 in a courier bag found in a vote tabulating machine.

The memo also stated that her office was reconciling ballots for Ward 56 on Dec. 3 when 125 unprocessed ballots were discovered in a sealed courier bag. Reconciliation is a post-election process in which officials account for every ballot created. That work begins immediately after an election. Clerks have 45 days to complete it.

The memo does not offer any explanation, saying only that the clerk’s office planned “to debrief these incidents and implement better processes.”

The clerk’s office issued a statement on Dec. 26 saying it had informed the elections commission and would send an apology letter to each affected voter.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway released her own statement the same day saying the clerk’s office didn’t tell her staff about the problem until Dec. 20. She said her office plans to review the city’s election procedures.

“While the discovery of these unprocessed absentee ballots did not impact the results of any election or referendum, a discrepancy of this magnitude is unacceptable,” the mayor said in the statement.

Wisconsin is a perennial battleground state in presidential elections. Republican Donald Trump won the state this past November on his way to reclaiming the White House, beating Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris by about 29,000 votes.

Madison and surrounding Dane County are well-known liberal strongholds. Harris won 75% of the vote in the county in November.

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Wisconsin

Flood Safety Week runs March 9-13 as Wisconsin braces for a spring swell

Published

8 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Flood Safety Week runs March 9-13 as Wisconsin braces for a spring swell

(WLUK) — As winter thaws, Wisconsinites are encouraged to think about preparing for potential flooding.

Gov. Evers has declared March 9 -13 as Flood Safety Week in Wisconsin.

During Flood Safety Awareness Week, ReadyWisconsin is asking everyone to review their flooding risk and take proactive steps to protect their families, homes, and businesses before waters rise.

Know your flood risk. Assess the potential for flooding on your property if you live in a flood plain, near a body of water, or have a basement. Plan with your family for what you will do if the floodwaters begin to rise.
Consider flood insurance. Most homeowner, rental, and business insurance policies generally do not cover flooding. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Most flood coverage requires 30 days to take effect. Find more information about flood insurance options here.
Move valuables or mementos out of the basement and store them in waterproof containers.
Elevate or flood-proof your washer, dryer, water heater, and HVAC systems. Relocate electrical outlets to three feet above the floor.
Have copies of important documents (personal identification like passports and birth certificates, medical records, insurance policies, and financial documents) in a waterproof container.
Build a “Go Kit.” Include items such as food, water, cash, and medications.
Make an emergency plan. If you can’t make it home or need to leave quickly, identify a meeting place for your family. Make a list of emergency numbers and important contacts.
Keep water out of and away from your house. Clean gutters regularly, direct downspouts away from your foundation, repair cracks in your foundation, improve grading so water flows away from your house, and cover window wells.

When flooding occurs, keep the following steps in mind:

Stay up to date on the forecast. Identify multiple ways to receive alerts about dangerous weather conditions and potential flooding, such as a NOAA Weather Radio, trusted local news outlets, and mobile weather apps. Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on your smartphones.
Never drive or walk through flooded areas. Just six inches of fast-moving water can sweep adults off their feet, while just 12 inches can carry away a small car or 24 inches for larger vehicles. Moving water is not the only danger, your vehicle could potentially stall when driving through floodwater.

BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT

Flooding could potentially impact your health as well. Avoid entering floodwaters, which can contain bacteria from human and animal waste, sharp objects, hazardous chemicals, downed power lines, and other dangerous items. If your home floods, follow cleaning and disinfection guidelines to avoid mold growth.

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

Published

20 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026

The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 3, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 3 drawing

07-21-53-54-62, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 3 drawing

Midday: 1-2-1

Evening: 8-2-7

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 3 drawing

Midday: 6-2-9-4

Evening: 2-0-1-6

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning All or Nothing numbers from March 3 drawing

Midday: 02-03-06-07-08-09-10-12-15-20-22

Evening: 03-05-06-08-12-13-14-16-17-18-20

Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Badger 5 numbers from March 3 drawing

03-15-17-24-30

Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning SuperCash numbers from March 3 drawing

16-17-27-29-34-35, Doubler: N

Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.

Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?

No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.

When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.

That lucky feeling: Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Feeling lucky? WI man wins $768 million Powerball jackpot **

WI Lottery history: Top 10 Powerball and Mega Million jackpots

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Wisconsin

When does daylight saving time start? What to know before clocks ‘spring forward’

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

When does daylight saving time start? What to know before clocks ‘spring forward’

Sunny spring evenings are just a few days away.

This weekend, clocks will “spring forward” as Milwaukee switches to daylight saving time for spring and summer.

That means you lose an hour of sleep the night before, but the city gains an extra hour of light in the evenings starting March 8, when the sun will set at 6:49 p.m., according to timeanddate.com.

The seasonal change often reignites debates about whether daylight saving time should exist at all. Though the time adjustment allows for more daylight during spring and summer evenings, many experts have argued it disturbs the body’s circadian rhythms and has other health drawbacks.

Here’s what to know as daylight saving time approaches.

When does daylight saving time start?

Daylight saving time will resume on Sunday, March 8. Clocks will jump forward one hour between 2 and 3 a.m., meaning there will be more light in the evening and less light in the morning.

When does daylight saving time end?

Daylight saving time will end for the season on Sunday, Nov. 1, when clocks are turned back an hour at 2 a.m.

What is daylight saving time?

Between March and November, Wisconsin residents set their clocks forward by an hour to gain more daylight in the evenings. During the other four months of the year, the clocks fall back to allow for more daylight in the mornings.

Daylight saving time was enacted during World War I in an attempt to save on fuel costs by adding an extra hour of sunlight to the day. While it’s a common misconception, its creation had nothing to do with allowing farmers to work longer hours, and the agriculture industry actually “fervently opposed” the measure, according to the Library of Congress.

When is the first 7 p.m. sunset of 2026 in Milwaukee?

Milwaukee will get its first 7 p.m. sunset of the year on Tuesday, March 17, according to timeanddate.com.

That day, the sun will rise at 7 a.m. that day and set at 7 p.m.

Why do some people want to end daylight saving time?

In the decades since daylight saving time was enacted, politicians, sleep experts and farmers have all pushed to change the practice, either by eliminating daylight saving time or making it permanent year-round.

In 2020, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine said the United States should “eliminate seasonal time changes in favor of a national, fixed, year-round time.” Daylight saving time disrupts the circadian rhythms of the human body, and the abrupt time change has been linked to higher risk of mood disorders and heart diseases, according to the organization.

The risk of vehicle crashes also increases each spring when drivers are especially sleep deprived after losing an hour of rest, the academy said.

As of October 2025, 19 states have enacted legislation to observe daylight saving time year-round, if Congress were to allow such a change, and two states and several territories observe permanent standard time year-round, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Over the years, some Wisconsin lawmakers have also drafted legislation to end daylight saving time, but those efforts have stalled.

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