A flyer sponsored by the Dave Magnum for Congress campaign incorrectly urged UW-Madison students to \Vote at the Polling Place of Your Choice,"" prompting challenger U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, to decry the Republican Party for giving out false information.
Students living in Sellery, Witte, Sullivan, Bradley, Cole and Kronshage halls received the flyer, and, according to The Captial Times, University Housing was able to halt the flyer from being distributed to other residence halls. The flyer listed five polling places on the UW-Madison campus, yet according to state elections rules students may only vote at their designated polling place.
""I take full responsibility,"" said Magnum's Campaign Director Adam Peer, who said the campaign will distribute photocopies with the correct voting information today.
Yet, Baldwin's campaign claimed the flyer was either a ""malicious or completely incompetent"" effort on the part of Republicans.
""If students go to the wrong polling place and then wait in line for two hours, and then are told to go somewhere else to vote, the chance of them actually voting is greatly diminished,"" said Baldwin campaign spokesperson Scott Spector. ""The thing that is really unfortunate is that these are the tactics that Republicans have come down to.""
UW-Madison is aware of the flyer, according to UW-Madison spokesperson John Lucas. The university has put correct voting information on its Web site's homepage. Additionally, he said the university plans to send out an e-mail this week informing students about where they should vote.
""This will cause lots of confusion at the polls,"" Chancellor John Wiley told The Capital Times. ""They will wait in long lines and find out they have to go somewhere else. They will have to go to class. And the fear is: that's the whole point. This undermines our efforts, student efforts and everyone else's. I'm very sorry it happened.""
Peer said he wants to make sure students know Magnum has been running an honest campaign and that the flyer was an honest oversight on his part.
It will cost approximately $700 for the campaign to recopy and redistribute correct flyers.
""This is an easy thing to do for us to make [voting information] much more clear,"" he said.
Those who wish to find out where their designated polling place is can go to
www.mypollingplace.com and enter in their zip code and street address.
