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The City of Racine is informing residents of an issue identified on ballots for the upcoming April 7, 2026, election.

City election staff discovered today that the uncontested Municipal Judge race was omitted from ballots printed and distributed to the municipalityA city or town that has corporate status and local government. through the Racine County Clerk’s Office. The race, including sole candidate Judge Rob Weber, was properly and publicly noticed by the City of Racine in accordance with state law, including publication in WisVote, MyVote Wisconsin, and through a Type A Notice in the official newspaper. The City did not have an opportunity to review or proof the final ballot prior to printing.

Early voting is already underway, including absentee ballots that have been mailed and in-person absentee voting that began this week. While the omission does not impact the outcome of the Municipal Judge race due to its uncontested status, the City is taking immediate steps to ensure all voters have the opportunity to participate fully.

What this means for voters

• A corrected ballot (“Ballot B”) including the Municipal Judge race will be issued to voters who have already been mailed an absentee ballot.
• The City is working with state election authorities to determine the appropriate process for voters who have already voted in-person absentee.
• Voters may complete and return Ballot B, which will replace their original ballot (“Ballot A”) for counting purposes.
• If a voter chooses not to return Ballot B, their original Ballot A will still be counted, with no vote recorded for the Municipal Judge race.
• The Racine County Clerk’s Office is working to reprint corrected ballots, which will be used for all future voting in this election as soon as they are available.

Voters who have already cast a ballot do not need to take any immediate action. Once Ballot B is available, the City will contact affected voters directly with instructions on how to complete and return the corrected ballot. Voters who have already mailed an absentee ballot will automatically receive a corrected ballot.

The City Clerk’s Office is coordinating with county election officials and has reached out to state election authorities to confirm that this contingency plan complies with all applicable laws and preserves the integrity of the election.

“We are taking every measure possible to ensure that no one is disenfranchised,” said City Clerk Tara McMenamin. “We will be reaching out using phone, email, and all available contact information to ensure that every eligible voter in the City of Racine who has already submitted a ballot receives a corrected ballot and the opportunity to vote in the Municipal Judge race.”

Ballots already returned will be counted unless a corrected ballot is submitted to replace them. No other races on the ballot are affected.

Additional information, including timing and instructions for returning corrected ballots, will be shared as soon as it becomes available.

Looking ahead, the City will advocate for changes in state law that would allow municipal clerks to print ballots within their own communities, improving oversight and reducing the risk of similar issues in the future.

Questions

Voters with questions are encouraged to contact the City Clerk’s Office at clerks@cityofracine.org.