MILWAUKEE, WI — Former Milwaukee Police Department official Marcey Patterson has been charged with election fraud after allegedly voting in city elections for years while living outside Milwaukee and improperly receiving a city pay incentive.
Patterson, 45, was charged on August 25 in Milwaukee County Circuit Court with one count of election fraud – voting by a disqualified person, a Class I felony punishable by up to 3½ years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
According to the criminal complaint, Patterson cast ballots in 12 Milwaukee elections between March 2018 and April 2025 while residing outside city limits. Despite living in Brown Deer, she registered to vote at her mother’s Milwaukee home on North 40th Street — a property she co-owns and used to qualify for a 3% residency pay boost.
Patterson reportedly resigned from MPD on July 21, following an internal investigation initiated by Chief Jeffrey Norman after the allegations surfaced. The probe was handled by the internal affairs division and led to a criminal referral.
In June 2024, she submitted voter registration information listing her 40th Street address, but prosecutors say she was living in Brown Deer at the time. She also amended her residency forms in June 2025 after being confronted about her address history.
Patterson told investigators that while she occasionally stayed overnight at the Milwaukee address, her primary residence was in Brown Deer, where she lives with her son. She also said she misunderstood the city’s residency policy, believing that living within 15 miles of Milwaukee qualified her for the pay incentive — a policy she claimed existed when she worked for the mayor’s office.
However, city officials confirmed no such policy exists and that all mayoral staff must live within Milwaukee city limits.
The complaint also states Patterson received over $8,200 in improper pay from the residency incentive, which is meant only for employees residing within city boundaries.
Patterson has been registered to vote at Samuel Clemens School since 2006, but prosecutors argue she should have updated her registration when she moved out of Milwaukee in 2018.
Her initial court appearance is scheduled for September 15. As of now, no permanent attorney has been listed for her.
Milwaukee Police released a statement reaffirming their commitment to integrity:
“We hold all members of our department—sworn and civilian—to the highest standards of ethical conduct,” Chief Norman said. “We will continue to act decisively to maintain public trust and uphold the values of this organization.”
