Wisconsin election

[resolution]

The Wisconsin Supreme Court just overruled the governor who tried to delay the primary election. It is back on for tomorrow, even though enough poll workers have dropped out that Milwaukee will only have 5 polling stations instead of its usual 180. In another decision, the Supreme Court just ruled that the time extension for absentee ballots was unconstitutional, so the voters won't have the opportunity to request absentee ballots under an extension.

www.cnn.com/2020/04/06/politics/wisconsin-primary-election/index.html

So what would you do if you lived in Wisconsin? Would you turn out and vote?  I would miss the election and stay home due to COVID-19.

edit: corrected error in number of polling stations

[Tennesseer]

Apr 6, 2020 19:54:11 GMT -5 resolution said:

The Wisconsin Supreme Court just overruled the governor who tried to delay the primary election. It is back on for tomorrow, even though enough poll workers have dropped out that Milwaukee will only have 5 polling stations instead of its usual 500. In another decision, the Supreme Court just ruled that the time extension for absentee ballots was unconstitutional, so the voters won't have the opportunity to request absentee ballots under an extension.

www.cnn.com/2020/04/06/politics/wisconsin-primary-election/index.html

So what would you do if you lived in Wisconsin? Would you turn out and vote?  I would miss the election and stay home due to COVID-19.

That's rough for Wisconsin citizens. Damned if you go to vote and damned if you don't. If your supreme court aren't appointed for life, they should be voted out of office.

[thyme4change]

I don't vote in primaries anyway, so missing it wouldn't be too heartbreaking. However, if I had a strong opinion, I'd put on a mask and go.

[bean29]

There is a supreme court justice on the ballot. Court hast 4-2 republican tilt. Seats are for 10 years. That is why they won’t postpone.

This should not be legal. To go from 500 too 5 polling locations.

This is not a Democracy.

[Wisconsin Beth]

I'll be going out to vote today.  My absentee ballot didn't arrive. 

This election has been a clusterf#ck. I predict more lawsuits, no matter who wins. 

[deminmaine]

Apr 7, 2020 7:57:36 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

I'll be going out to vote today.  My absentee ballot didn't arrive. 

This election has been a clusterf#ck. I predict more lawsuits, no matter who wins. 

Thank you Wisconsin Beth.

If we had a Wisconsin state flag here I would wave that too!

[djAdvocate]

Apr 7, 2020 1:18:31 GMT -5 bean29 said:

There is a supreme court justice on the ballot. Court hast 4-2 republican tilt. Seats are for 10 years. That is why they won’t postpone.

This should not be legal. To go from 500 too 5 polling locations.

This is not a Democracy.

this is bad for a primary, but it would be completely shit for a general election.

is that the prediction?

[kadee79]

If I lived in Wis., I'd never ever vote for a GOP member after they did this to their citizens! 

[justme]

On the upside - right now Florida isn't the one fucking up elections!! 

This did prompt me to officially sign up for absentee ballots for Florida though. Much rather drop it off or mail it than go in person if this all isn't sorted by now. I have less than zero faith in Pettigrew's leadership in Florida. 

[thyme4change]

If things go bad in Florida, it may not be a swing state anymore.

[justme]

Apr 7, 2020 16:19:14 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

If things go bad in Florida, it may not be a swing state anymore.

The question will be whether the deaths are in the cities (blue area) or not (red area). Or if it's all old geezers cuz they're prob mostly red. 

[bean29]

They better not try to justify closing polling locations in the future by this election going ok. My city has one polling location today. It is at the high school. DH went early this am (like 7:00 am), he went to our regular location and was re-directed to the HS. So he got there about 7:10 am. He said the parking lot was crowded, but inside it did not seem too bad. But School is not in session. Normally that lot is full of teachers and parent cars and HS student cars.

I ordered an absentee ballot last Tuesday, but something did not seem right.  I contacted the city clerk, and she told me they had not received,  to re-do my application. I did not, after discussing with DH I decided if he was going to go to the polls, I might as well too. I got my ballot in the mail on Saturday. All weekend, I believed I would have until the end of the week (maybe Friday) to return my ballot. Yesterday the Supreme court nixed that and said all ballots have to be post marked by today. I ran my ballot to the Airport Post office last night.

My boss told me yesterday that he had applied three times for an absentee ballot, but it never worked, and he has not received the ballot. If you apply for an absentee ballot, you are not supposed to then go vote. This election is going to be an absolute clusterf@CK to administer. The City Clerks really do deserve our appreciation.

[thyme4change]

Maybe I will offer to volunteer at a polling place in November. If we can't or don't move to full mail in voting, and Covid is still hanging around, they will likely be short of volunteers. I would rather risk myself (because I am invincible or something like that) than have democracy knee capped.

[jelloshots4all]

Apr 7, 2020 1:18:31 GMT -5 bean29 said:

There is a supreme court justice on the ballot. Court hast 4-2 republican tilt. Seats are for 10 years. That is why they won’t postpone.

This should not be legal. To go from 500 too 5 polling locations.

This is not a Democracy.

What a shit show!!  When I saw that it was postponed yesterday by the Gov, I said good call.  Watched movies last night to wake up this morning and find out the election was on.  I hope all republicans lose because of this!

[Tennesseer]

'One of the Most Brazen Acts of Voter Suppression in Modern Times' as US Supreme Court Blocks Absentee Ballot Extension in Wisconsin

The U.S. Supreme Court's conservative majority Monday night was accused of green-lighting "one of the most brazen acts of voter suppression in modern times" after the body overturned a lower court ruling that extended the absentee voting deadline in Wisconsin by six days in an effort to allow people to more safely exercise the franchise amid the coronavirus pandemic.

In a 5-4 decision (pdf) along ideological lines, the high court ruled that Wisconsin voters must hand-deliver their absentee ballots by the end of the day Tuesday or have them postmarked April 7 if their ballot is to be counted. The decision rewards Wisconsin Republicans and GOP groups that led the legal challenge against the extension of absentee voting until April 13.

Matthew DeFour, state politics editor at the Wisconsin State Journal, noted on Twitterfollowing the ruling that "there is no postmark requirement in state law."

"The lower court judge changed the date, but did not add a postmark," DeFour said. "The U.S. Supreme Court has just written a new election law in Wisconsin."

In an unsigned opinion, the Supreme Court's conservative majority attempted to wash its hands of any responsibility for intensifying an ongoing public health crisis by refusing to allow Wisconsin to extend absentee voting.

"The court's decision on the narrow question before the court should not be viewed as expressing an opinion on the broader question of whether to hold the election, or whether other reforms or modifications in election procedures in light of COVID-19 are appropriate," the opinion stated.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg warned in a scathing dissent that the conservative majority's ruling "will result in massive disenfranchisement":

Because gathering at the polling place now poses dire health risks, an unprecedented number of Wisconsin voters—at the encouragement of public officials—have turned to voting absentee. About one million more voters have requested absentee ballots in this election than in 2016. Accommodating the surge of absentee ballot requests has heavily burdened election officials, resulting in a severe backlog of ballots requested but not promptly mailed to voters.

Complete article here: 'One of the Most Brazen Acts of Voter Suppression in Modern Times' as US Supreme Court Blocks Absentee Ballot Extension in Wisconsin

[djAdvocate]

like I said before, I am more worried for what this says about the general election.

[billisonboard]

While I think the election should have been postponed, it wasn't so I have no problem with the SC ruling of not allowing an extention for mail in ballots. The election is today, get it in the mail.

[oped]

Many of them haven't RECEIVED them yet... hard to mail something you haven't gotten. 

[billisonboard]

Apr 7, 2020 20:25:44 GMT -5 oped said:

Many of them haven't RECEIVED them yet... hard to mail something you haven't gotten. 

Is there a link? I didn't find one.

[oped]

madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/voters-reporting-delays-in-receiving-absentee-ballots-unclear-extent-of-problem/article_81c60d8b-0170-5b03-b7c7-13f5e90a74dc.html

fox6now.com/2020/04/07/putting-lives-at-stake-voters-who-didnt-receive-absentee-ballots-forced-to-polls-amid-pandemic/

www.tmj4.com/news/coronavirus/if-you-didnt-receive-your-milwaukee-absentee-ballot-in-the-mail-heres-what-you-need-to-do

[billisonboard]

Apr 7, 2020 20:50:36 GMT -5 oped said:

madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt-and-politics/voters-reporting-delays-in-receiving-absentee-ballots-unclear-extent-of-problem/article_81c60d8b-0170-5b03-b7c7-13f5e90a74dc.html

fox6now.com/2020/04/07/putting-lives-at-stake-voters-who-didnt-receive-absentee-ballots-forced-to-polls-amid-pandemic/

www.tmj4.com/news/coronavirus/if-you-didnt-receive-your-milwaukee-absentee-ballot-in-the-mail-heres-what-you-need-to-do

Thanks.

[billisonboard]

Yeah.  That changes things. 

[Wisconsin Beth]

My  absentee ballot never showed up.  So when I was being checked in, I made sure to mention it.  I had to sign a short form that they printed off. 

DH and I got to the polling place and waited in line, outdoors, for about 45 minutes.  The line snaked back and forth in the parking lot and then on the sidewalk down to the corner.  Because this 'block' is a high school, it's really more like 6 blocks by 6 blocks.  It was sunny, maybe 70 degrees, there was a breeze and I had DH to chat with.  When we left, they were redefining the lines in the parking lot.  Maybe 1/4 of the people in the line were wearing masks.  They did have sanitizer that was being squirted on people's hands just before they went in the door to go inside the school.

Indoors, the line moved pretty quickly.  Like I said, I said I hadn't rec'd my absentee ballot and they were handling that.  I don't know if other people were telling them that or not.  Or if the clerks were asking about it.  Probably varied.  Once I got my ballot, it was over in a couple of minutes.  I knew who I was voting for and how I was going to vote for the additional measures on the ballot.  DH screwed his ballot up and had to get a new one, but I know that happens to people in every election so that's not particularly unusual to hear. 

[teen persuasion]

And Cuomo has announced NY can do absentee ballots for the June primary and special election to fill Chris Collins' empty seat. Previously you HAD to have a reason like out of region or sick to request an absentee ballot.

[giramomma]

Apr 7, 2020 14:51:41 GMT -5 kadee79 said:

If I lived in Wis., I'd never ever vote for a GOP member after they did this to their citizens! 

Honestly, one-issue voters won't give a shit.

Someone in power is working to make abortion illegal. That's all that matters.

Someone is power is asking that Churches be allowed to open their doors on Easter Sunday, the day before we are supposed to peak with the virus..Well, that's what's really important to folks.

We can't save people from their own stupidity. Now would be a great time to just let go and let them feel the consequences of their behavior.

Go to church. Get sick. But then don't expect any help when you've got thousands in medical bills you can't pay or worse.

[deminmaine]

Maine just re-scheduled our June primary to July 14.  Just like that.  No hocus pocus, no magic.  Just change the date.  

[thyme4change]

So are there results for Wisconsin? Did this work out for Republicans? If this was just a primary, they cant exactly win, or were they going for something in particular?

[giramomma]

No results until April 13.

We've been under republican rule for a long time. Of course they've figured out how to make it work in their favor. Due to gerrymandering and voter stupidity, they will continue to make things work out for themselves.

I think there was a state supreme court justice race on the ballot...so pretty important.

[Tennesseer]

Absentee ballots: Postal Service looking into delivery irregularities in Wisconsin

The United States postal service said Friday it is investigating potential issues with absentee ballots in Wisconsin, which held a highly controversial primary on Tuesday in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.

The probe comes just one day after Wisconsin's US Senators, Republican Ron Johnson and Democrat Tammy Baldwin, sent aletter to the Inspector General of the US Postal Service, urging for an investigation into reports of absentee ballots that were not delivered to voters and the discovery of absentee ballots at a USPS processing center.

The letter cites three issues with Milwaukee County absentee ballots, saying in part that "three tubs of absentee ballots from Appleton and Oshkosh were discovered in USPS's Milwaukee processing center after polls closed on Tuesday" and that batches of absentee ballots requested on March 22 and 23 failed to be delivered to voters.

The third instance cited in the letter involves the village of Fox Point, which is located within Milwaukee County, that reported "that USPS returned to them multiple batches of unsent absentee ballots and they were unable to obtain an explanation from their local post office as to why they were not delivered to the voters who requested them. "

"We are concerned there may be more examples, and request that you promptly open an investigation to determine the cause of these failures, which appear to have disenfranchised many Wisconsin voters," said the senators in the letter.

Complete article here: Absentee ballots: Postal Service looking into delivery irregularities in Wisconsin

[countrygirl2]

I would put on my gloves, mask, carry my sanitizer, and a small folding chair and go vote. They will have to jail or shot me to keep me from voting.