Wisconsin will accept absentee ballot envelopes with partial witness addresses ahead of 2024 election
By
Peyton Sorosinski
February 11, 2024 5:00 am
The Wisconsin Elections Commission provided new guidance Thursday that will allow state election officials to accept absentee ballot envelopes that are missing parts of witness address information.
In a 5-1 vote, with Republican Commissioner Bob Spindell voting against it, the commission decided that clerks could accept absentee ballots with partial witness information so long as the witnesses’ addresses are identifiable, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
Dane County Judge Ryan Nilsestuen’s ruling last month prompted the elections commission to administer the new guidance after two liberal voting advocacy groups filed lawsuits claiming that people’s votes shouldn’t be invalidated because of a minor mistake. Under the old guidelines, clerks had to contact voters to obtain proper witness address information before their vote could be counted.
Spindell reportedly tried to amend the new rule by having voters prove a photo ID before corrections could be made to their absentee ballot but was unsuccessful, with all three Democratic members voting against the proposal.
The Republican-controlled legislature has appealed the court rulings.
more
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/2848762/wisconsin-will-accept-absentee-ballot-envelopes-partial-witness-addresses/
