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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 […]
Supreme Court postpones jury trials, stops in-person appearances due to virus
Less than a week after Wisconsin court officials said some in-person appearances and jury trials would continue amid the COVID-19 pandemic because they involved “liberty issues,” the state Supreme Court issued two orders Sunday effectively halting those functions. In the week since courts instituted a partial slowdown of the justice system, the number of COVID-19 […]
How, where and when to vote during a pandemic
On Friday evening, March 20, a federal judge extended the deadline for online voter registration in Wisconsin until March 30, in response to a lawsuit brought by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and the Democratic National Committee. U.S. District Court Judge William Conley issued the order extending online registration, in light of the impact of the ongoing […]
Elections Commission asks governor for help with April 7 voting
As a growing number of public officials and advocates call for statewide mail-in voting in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) sent a letter to Gov. Tony Evers asking for assistance in holding in-person voting on April 7. The letter, from WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe, asks for the governor to […]
Appleton, Green Bay, Neenah mayors express concern over election safety
Amid mounting legal and public pressure from interest groups, political parties and government officials to delay Wisconsin’s April 7 election in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, three mayors advocated for an entirely vote-by-mail spring election. Dean Kaufert of Neenah, Timothy Hanna of Appleton and Eric Genrich of Green Bay held a remote press conference […]
Elections Commission searching for answers on safety of April election
This story has been updated to reflect the accurate deadline to request an absentee ballot online. The deadline is April 2. For nearly three hours Wednesday, as the clock ticked and the COVID-19 pandemic continued to worsen, the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) debated what it should do to ensure a safe and fair election can […]