Resignation of Green Bay Election Official Amid Ballot Controversy
Green Bay election officials are reeling after the resignation of Celestine Jeffries, which occurred on August 7, following serious allegations from the Wisconsin Elections Commission. She reportedly issued 152 duplicate absentee ballots to registered voters during the April 2026 elections. Notably, Jeffries was linked to campaign grants in 2020 that were funneled through the Center for Technology and Civic Life, which drew scrutiny.
In an official statement, the Wisconsin Elections Commission raised significant concerns about the situation, stating, “Clerks who do not believe that the law prohibits the issuance of duplicate ballots cannot be trusted to prevent duplicate ballots from happening again.”
After being placed on administrative leave on July 9, Jeffries’s actions prompted a formal investigation. This decision came after the Wisconsin State Board of Elections voted unanimously in favor of an inquiry. It was during this process that Brown County Republican Party Officer Teresa Sipes filed a lawsuit against Jeffries, claiming that the duplicates posed a risk for confusion, double voting, and even fraud.
The city of Green Bay, however, defended Jeffries, arguing that the apparent discrepancies were merely coincidental. They stated that while Wisconsin law does prohibit election fraud, it also doesn’t impose penalties for unintentionally issuing multiple ballots. Instead, it emphasizes an elector’s right to receive their ballot.
Sipes’s allegations were backed by Wisconsin Republicans, adding weight to the claim. Additionally, her lawyer, Nicholas Boelke, criticized the city’s defense, suggesting that clerks who misunderstand the ballot issuance laws create a risk for future violations. He described the lack of belief in those laws as a potential disaster waiting to happen.
In light of Boelke’s claims, the Wisconsin Elections Commission recognized the merit of the concerns and launched an investigation into possible misconduct by the Green Bay Clerk or their contractors. This inquiry aims to determine whether they failed to comply with state laws regarding the handling of absentee ballots, as noted by Commission Chairman Don Millis.
Jeffries’s departure follows controversies from her earlier career as Chief of Staff under Mayor Eric Genrich. Some controversies included her emails indicating reliance on guidance from CTCL, which raised eyebrows given its connections to various election funding initiatives.
After these events, the administration hired Democratic Party operative Michael Spitzer Rubenstein to oversee election administration. During his tenure, significant changes took place, including the ousting of then-City Clerk Chris Teske who was reportedly pressured for access to voter databases.
The Elections Commission previously cleared the city of Green Bay of misconduct related to private election assistance, but with new regulations limiting such practices post-2024, the dynamics are shifting. Jeffries’s actions from allowing third parties to return absentee ballots raised concerns about legality and adherence to election laws.
In an official statement regarding Jeffries’s resignation, the Green Bay Mayor’s Office expressed a desire for her to find success in future endeavors and indicated that they would no longer comment on the matter.
Requests for comment were not returned by Jeffries, the Wisconsin Elections Commission, or the Center for Technology and Civic Life, and a spokesperson for Mark Zuckerberg also declined to respond.
