WISCONSIN, (WSAW) -A federal investigation into voter fraud is drawing criticism from election officials in Wisconsin.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department are probing nine states, including Wisconsin, weeks before the midterms.
Voting advocates say they think it’s a misuse of resources.
Dunn County Clerk Mercil said voter fraud has rarely been a major concern.
“It’s not to say it doesn’t ever happen, but we put in place certain procedures to make sure that if a voter is participating and tries to do voter fraud, that that voter will be caught and prosecuted,” Mercil said.
State audits polling locations
Mercil said the state routinely audits 20% of polling locations following major elections.
On threat of withheld federal funds, Mercil noted federal support for local elections has dwindled over the last decade.
“We’ve actually seen extreme reduction in funding for…
PROCUREMENT & EXPENDITURE (STOPPING KICKBACKS)
Procurement fraud usually involves inflated invoices or “fictitious” vendors.
- The Three-Way Match: Never pay an invoice unless you have matched the Purchase Order (PO), the Delivery Note (signed), and the Supplier Invoice.
- Vendor Master File Review: Review your vendor list annually. Look for suppliers with the same bank details or physical addresses as your employees.
- Dual Authorization: Implement a “Two-to-Sign” rule for all EFT payments above a certain threshold (e.g., R5,000).
- No “Cashing” of Checks: If you still use physical checks, strictly prohibit “Cash” as a payee and store blank checks in a dual-lock safe.