State committee planning election investigation following canvass

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- President Donald Trump's campaign could file for a recount next week.

Meanwhile, a state committee assigned to review last week's election and Milwaukee's central count is set to begin its work.

Republican Committee Chair Ron Tusler said his office has received 1,000 complaints, some related to software issues, other about absentee ballots.

The committee's top Democrat, JoCasta Zamarripa called this investigation a fool's errand.

"This is a waste of time and simply being done to appease a sore loser," said Zamarripa.

She said multiple voter fraud investigations in the past didn't find much.

"They have been investigated in the past by folks of various political stripes and they're largely unfounded, very little voter fraud," said Zamarripa.

The Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections is charged with reviewing Tuesday's election and Milwaukee's central counting operation, among others. One claim it could review is ballot dumping.

"It's really difficult to make sense of claims of conspiracy or fraud without hard evidence, and most of the claims of evidence tend to be ""I heard this from someone,"" said UW Madison Journalism Professor Mike Wagner.

He said the election proceeded how officials said it would, but he said there are always some small problems.

"It's important to investigate every irregularity and find out what happened, but there is no reason to think that will have any results change in Wisconsin or nationally," said Wagner.

Committee Chairman Ron Tusler said his office has received 1,000 complaints from Wisconsinites worried about their vote.

"Absolutely flooded with phone calls, emails, of people's personal experiences that this election was strange, it wasn't what they're used to," said Tusler.

He said it's important for his committee to shine more light on the job elections administrators do.

"Shed light, shed information and educate folks who are concerned about how some of this operates, and investigate important issues that deserve investigation," said Tusler.

He said the committee members will need to decide which issues to focus on. He said they will have to wait until the counties finish the canvassing process in order for the committee to work with official information.