Milwaukee calls in reinforcements to help process ballots
Milwaukee has called in reinforcements from other parts of the city government to help process ballots as it works through a backlog of 31,000 absentee ballots.
Approximately 40 city employees -- including firefighters, health employees, IT experts and librarians -- are assisting with the count of absentee ballots, according to a city official.
The absentee ballots are being retabulated after a door to several tabulators was not properly sealed due to human error, the Milwaukee mayor's office said.
As the counting continues, some Republicans have descended on the Baird Convention Center to ask about how this mistake happened.
"This seems like a real mess," Sen. Ron Johnson said.
Johnson said he showed up at the polling location to "ask questions" and "restore confidence" in the results. He said he believes the city was unprepared for the election.
Johnson was joined by GOP Chair Brian Schimming, who summed up the incident in a few words: "You had one job."
The Milwaukee Election Commission earlier said that the city "has no doubt regarding the integrity of the election."
"However, in order to eliminate any doubt to be fully transparent, the MEC has decided to start the tabulation process over for all ballots at Central Count. This decision was made in consultation with both Republican and Democratic officials," the commission said.