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Picture still murky one day after election
One day after Wisconsin’s spring election, the state has just a smattering of the data needed to get a full picture of how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced voting behaviors. Since polls closed, a handful of municipalities have reported the number of ballots received so far; a presidential candidate on yesterday’s ballots dropped out of the […]
‘All things considered’ Wisconsin does its best to vote
Wisconsin’s 2020 spring election will be graded on a curve — well, two actually. The first curve is how well election officials were able to handle holding in-person voting during a pandemic. The second curve is how sharply the number of Wisconsin’s COVID-19 cases will jump after thousands of people around the state were forced […]
PHOTOS: Madison goes to the polls during pandemic
Around Wisconsin, voters headed to the polls Tuesday despite concerns over the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. After days of uncertainty, a Wisconsin Supreme Court decision Monday afternoon meant there would be in-person voting in this year’s spring election. On the ballot is the presidential primary, a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court and local offices around […]
Wisconsin’s closed polls
Wisconsin’s April 7 election has been subject to confusion, whiplash and litigation amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s order Monday evening that Gov. Tony Evers does not have the authority to postpone the election by executive order, the state will hold in-person voting Tuesday. But in-person voting has already been greatly affected […]
‘This election is going to go down as one of the worst elections in Wisconsin history’
On March 18, 20 days before election day, the Wisconsin Elections Commission held a meeting in which it discussed a shortage of poll workers, sanitizing products, absentee ballot materials and closing poll locations. On March 31, seven days before election day, the Wisconsin Elections Commission held a meeting in which it discussed a shortage of […]
A voter reacts to state guidelines for absentee ballots
Last week, the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) released guidance for voters concerned about their ability to obtain the required witness signature on their absentee ballots. Voters living alone who are self-isolated or quarantined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, may have trouble getting the required signatures. Last week, a group that included the Wisconsin Alliance for […]
‘A horse of a different color’: Wisconsin campaigns adjust to coronavirus
In a typical election, the best way to earn votes — in local and statewide races — is going door-to-door, talking to as many people as possible. But in less than a week, Wisconsin will hold an election that is anything but typical. With COVID-19 continuing to spread and models predicting the pandemic will be […]
Wisconsin’s student reporters cover a global story for campus communities
College students around Wisconsin have scattered across the country, heading home as their campuses shut down amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They’re adjusting to the new reality of online classes, they’re re-entering life at home with parents and seniors are dealing with the emotional fallout of having their college lives abruptly cut short as they enter […]
Third election lawsuit against WEC filed by voting rights groups and quarantined voters
A third lawsuit against the Wisconsin Elections Commission was filed Thursday in federal court by voting rights groups and four registered voters over the age of 60, who are self-quarantining alone. The lawsuit requests that absentee ballots returned without the required witness signature be accepted as state leaders encourage mail-in voting during the COVID-19 pandemic. […]
‘At their own peril’ federal lawsuit from city of Green Bay requests election delay
The City of Green Bay has a backlog of 4,083 absentee ballots waiting to be processed and has already sent 5,537 ballots out the door. Statewide, elections clerks have received more than 600,000 absentee ballot requests with more sure to come. After an order from a federal judge, the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) re-opened online […]
Hundreds of local leaders send letter to Gov. Evers calling for more action on election safety
More than 200 local officials sent a letter to Gov. Tony Evers, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) calling the state’s efforts to ensure the safety of the April 7 election insufficient. The letter was a joint project between The League of Wisconsin Municipalities, the Wisconsin Towns Association and […]
‘Our biggest fear is what we don’t know’
As most Wisconsin residents retreat into their homes following a “safer-at-home” order from Gov. Tony Evers to fight the spread of COVID-19, county human services workers and domestic violence victims’ advocates are concerned about the wellbeing of their vulnerable clients. With kids home from school and many adults home from work, there are more opportunities […]