Sharon Drefcinski, right, chief election inspector for the town of Rib Mountain, Wis., boxes mailed-in absentee ballots to send to the county for archiving, during the partisan primary on Aug. 11, 2020. Town Clerk Joanne Ruechel, left, sent out 1,348 absentee ballots ahead of the primary. (Coburn Dukehart / Wisconsin Watch)

1. Fraud is NOT likely to be a major issue, but there is a reasonable chance your ballot could be rejected if you do not carefully follow instructions. Make sure that you and your witness sign the envelope and that the witness includes their address.
2. Request your ballot now at MyVote.wi.gov, and return it quickly if you plan to mail it. Clerks will mail ballots out by Sept. 17 to those who have requests on file. Do not wait until the final deadline, Oct. 29, to request a ballot.
3. This fall, many Wisconsinites will be able to track their ballots online as they make their way through the postal system, which recommends that ballots be mailed back at least one week before the election.
4. If you prefer to return your ballot in person rather than by mail, you can drop it off at a secure drop box (if available), polling place, clerk’s office or central counting location. Check with your clerk for details.
5. You can also vote early in person or go to the polls on Election Day. If so, wear a mask and practice social distancing. Long lines should not be a significant issue.
6. Detailed information from the Elections Commission on mail-in voting and key dates can be found on the commission’s website, elections.wi.gov.

Wisconsin GOP rep supports mail-in voting, despite Trump’s fraud claims

A bipartisan bill in the Wisconsin Legislature this spring proposed changes to improve voting during a state of emergency. But the GOP-run Legislature has shown little appetite for it or other bills designed to facilitate the mail-in voting process.

Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay, co-sponsored the legislation with Rep. Staush Gruszynski, D-Green Bay. The bill introduced in May has yet to have a hearing in either the Assembly or the Senate, but several of its provisions — including ballot tracking barcodes and sending absentee ballot applications to all registered voters — have nevertheless been implemented by the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

“I want to make it as easy as possible for people to (vote by mail), but I also want to protect the integrity of the election,” Kitchens says.

Because of the state’s photo ID requirement, he believes the current system is largely resistant to fraud, despite President Donald Trump’s claims that this will be “the most inaccurate and fraudulent” election in U.S. history.

Kitchens stresses there is a big difference between sending out ballots automatically to all registered voters — something he does not support — and sending them applications only.

“Some of (Trump’s) comments — in my mind — have stirred up this fear in people that if you vote by mail, it’s going to be fraudulent,” Kitchens says. “I don’t think it has to be … if they would look at the way we are handling it, I think it will be a legitimate, fair vote.”

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