WISCONSIN — A tweet made by President Donald Trump about the Wisconsin election has been flagged as false by Twitter. It also included claims that have been widely disputed by election officials.
The president appeared to quote from a Newsmax report in a tweet, saying "In Wisconsin, somebody has to be indefinitely confined in order to vote absentee. In the past there were 20,000 people. This past election there were 120,000...and Republicans were locked out of the vote counting process.”
“In Wisconsin, somebody has to be indefinitely confined in order to vote absentee. In the past there were 20,000 people. This past election there were 120,000...and Republicans were locked out of the vote counting process.” @VicToensing @newsmax
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2020
The claims the president tweeted have been widely disputed by local and state officials.
In Wisconsin, anyone who is registered to vote may request an absentee ballot. Someone does not need to be indefinitely confined in order to vote absentee, according to state statute.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission discussed how the indefinitely confined designation would be used for the 2020 election back in March.
The WEC adopted new guidelines for the elections, stating that the designation of indefinitely confined status would be made for each voter based on their current circumstances and did not require a permanent inability to travel outside of their residence.
"Designation of indefinitely confined status is for each individual voter to make based upon their current circumstance. It does not require permanent or total inability to travel outside of the residence."
"Indefinitely confined status shall not be used by electors simply as a means to avoid the photo ID requirement without regard to whether they are indefinitely confined because of age, physical illness, infirmity or disability," said the WEC.
In the recount, more than 51,000 absentee ballot envelopes are being separated for Milwaukee County voters who self-certified they were indefinitely confined. The Trump campaign requested these ballot envelopes be set aside, claiming they could be fraudulent.
The Trump campaign will have representatives at every table. Every time they find a possible irregularity with a ballot, it will be brought to the board of canvassers to decide whether the vote is valid. pic.twitter.com/E3sX4Ul5i5
— Ben Jordan (@BenJordan3) November 20, 2020
Republicans have also not been locked out of the vote-counting process nor the recount, as the president's tweet claims. Observers from both parties have been in place in both Milwaukee and Dane counties since the recount began.
While President Trump has not conceded, on Monday, he said he is recommending his team to cooperate in the transition of power. The president also said his team was "moving full speed ahead" on various court cases.
What does GSA being allowed to preliminarily work with the Dems have to do with continuing to pursue our various cases on what will go down as the most corrupt election in American political history? We are moving full speed ahead. Will never concede to fake ballots & “Dominion”.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 24, 2020