Opinion ID: 6330576
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Recount

Text: 7 No. 2020AP1271-AC ¶14 Under Wisconsin election statutes, chs. 5 to 12 shall be construed to give effect to the will of the electors, if that can be ascertained from the proceedings. Wis. Stat. § 5.01(1). Chapter 9, entitled Post-Election Actions, and Wis. Stat. § 9.01(1)(b), in particular, set forth the step-by-step procedures to be followed when a party petitions for a recount, as Sewell did here. Although Sewell does not identify in his petition for review or brief precisely how the Board of Canvassers failed to follow its statutory duty in conducting the recount, he nevertheless claims error that he has a right to correct under Wis. Stat. § 7.54. ¶15 In its decision on Sewell's appeal of the recount, the circuit court concluded that, from the entirety of the record, the procedures utilized by the Board of Canvassers were open and fair and did not deny any observer the meaningful, statutory or constitutional right to observe, object or otherwise participate in the recount. As the circuit court correctly explained, the amended complaint shows that Sewell misunderstood what a recount actually is.9 In addition, Sewell has identified no specific errors by the Board of Canvassers, for which he has sought our review.