C. Statewide Impact

The challenger, a candidate who lost the election for Shawano County clerk by seven votes, contended that ballots were unreliable. Id., 249 N.W. at 538-39. This Court determined that the ballots were reliable and thus

upheld the results of the recount conducted by the board of canvassers without opening the ballots. Id. at 541. The court explained:

“The original statement of the canvassing board as evidence of the result of an election is temporarily sufficient, and, if unchallenged, is conclusive . . .. But when challenged in recount proceedings the canvassers or the court will examine with the aid of the ballots into the fact in issue. [The] statement of the board of canvassers is

‘provisionally preferred testimony.’” Id. at 540 (internal citation omitted). The challenger in Wiegand did not argue that the any of the ballots were miscounted or that any ballot was misinterpreted by the board of canvassers. Rather, he sought to have some of the ballots disqualified. By deciding that the ballots being challenged in Wiegand were reliable, this Court resolved the core issue being disputed in Wiegand. Id. at 541. Conversely, the case at bar is not challenging the reliability of the ballots but contends that the board of

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