Alleged voter fraud under investigation in Wisconsin

Associated Press

MILWAUKEE – The district attorney is investigating a report that scores of college students may have cast more than one presidential ballot.

The Marquette Tribune, Marquette University’s student newspaper, surveyed 1,000 students and said it found that 174 admitted voting more than once. The newspaper conducted the survey after state Republicans on Friday alleged voting irregularities, including claims that students at Marquette and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee voted more than once.

Wisconsin was one of the closest states in the presidential contest. According to unofficial results, Al Gore defeated George W. Bush by about 6,000 votes.

Milwaukee County District Attorney E. Michael McCann said his office is investigating the allegations, as well as reports that a Democratic Party volunteer gave homeless people cigarettes in exchange for votes, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

McCann did not return telephone messages today to The Associated Press.

McCann told the Journal Sentinel his investigators would concentrate on the multiple voting claims. “Our focus is on those areas first, because those allegations concern crimes,” he said. “It is a felony to vote a second time.”

Under Wisconsin law, deliberately voting twice is punishable by up to 54 months in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Of the 174 Marquette students who said they voted more than once, 95 said they cast absentee ballots from their home state and in Wisconsin, the Tribune said. The 79 others told the Tribune they voted more than once in Wisconsin. Those students included 13 who claimed they voted four or more times.

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