As election season approaches, Americans are gearing up for early voting, absentee ballots, and ensuring their voter registration is current. But beyond the convenience of these voting options, the integrity of our elections is also under scrutiny. 

A recent report by the Government Accountability Institute (GAI) highlights at least fifty different threats to election integrity, including voter fraud, dark money influence, and issues related to election fraud. These threats have drawn attention to how election systems are administered, especially in battleground states like Wisconsin.

States have taken strides to clean up their voter rolls by removing deceased voters, those who have moved out of state, and individuals who are not U.S. citizens. However, some states have struggled with maintaining accurate rolls. For example, Michigan’s voter registration rates have surpassed 100% in some counties, raising concerns about outdated or duplicated entries. 

Wisconsin, in particular, has been a focal point in discussions about election integrity. The state recently reversed a previous ruling, allowing the use of ballot drop boxes for mail-in voting. This decision opens the door to potential accusations of ballot harvesting, a form of election fraud where votes are collected and returned by unauthorized individuals. 

Wisconsin also saw an alarming increase in non-citizen registrations, with over 10,000 new registrations in just a few years, a 467% rise since 2021. This has further raised concerns about voter eligibility and the overall security of the process.

Another contentious issue from recent elections has been the late-night voting spikes that occurred, particularly in 2020. Wisconsin saw a sudden increase of 140,000 absentee votes in a single night, which contributed to Joe Biden’s narrow victory. While explanations such as clerical errors have been offered, these irregular spikes in voting raise questions about the transparency of the process.