Elections

Trump Campaign's Election Fraud Suit Dropped in Wisconsin

The lawsuit sought to throw out results from Democratic-heavy counties of Milwaukee, Dane and Menominee.

By Frederica Freyberg

November 16, 2020

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Donald Trump

President Donald Trump speaking at a rally in Kenosha Nov. 2, 2020.


Three voters in Wisconsin represented by lawyers on behalf of the Trump campaign dropped their suit alleging election fraud Monday. The lawsuit was filed last week in U.S. District Court in Green Bay.

The plaintiffs sought to exclude election results from Milwaukee, Dane and Menominee counties, which voted strongly in favor of President-elect Joe Biden.

Wisconsin’s canvas of the Nov. 3 election results will be completed Tuesday, and the Trump campaign has one day following the certification to officially request a recount.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has reported no significant irregularities in the November general election process.

PBS Wisconsin News asked the lead attorney in the Wisconsin lawsuit why it was voluntarily dismissed and whether additional court action was planned but has not received response.

Separately, the Wisconsin Elections Commission Monday released its estimate of the cost of a statewide recount, putting that figure at $7.9 million.

“We still have not received any indication that there will or will not be a recount, but we wanted Wisconsin’s voters to know we are ready,” Meagan Wolfe, WEC Chief election official said in a statement.

The 2016 recount cost approximately $2 million, but this year’s estimate accounts for COVID-19 safeguards like larger spaces to accommodate social distancing, security, the high number of absentee ballots and time constraints due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

The recount, if one is requested by the Trump campaign, would be completed by December 1, 2020, according to the WEC.

This story was updated to include the estimated cost of a recount in Wisconsin.

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