Election Day is this Tuesday, and city clerks in Wisconsin’s Appleton and Green Bay are working around the clock to ensure a smooth voting experience. With a surge in absentee voting, officials say they are ready to handle the increased workload while still serving voters who turn up at the polls.
Appleton’s absentee ballot load
Appleton City Clerk Amy Molitor reported that out of the 5,300 absentee ballots mailed to residents, a 78% return rate has already been recorded. In addition, about 3,400 voters have already cast their ballots in person at absentee voting sites. That means poll workers will need to process roughly 8,000 absentee ballots on Election Day, on top of the regular in‑person votes.
Molitor emphasized the importance of balancing absentee processing with on‑site assistance. “We do our best to make sure that we’re processing absentee ballots throughout the day, as well as helping voters and making sure there’s a good balance between doing the two, so that way at the end of the night you’re not left with all of your absentee ballots to process,” she said.
She added that the volume is comparable to the 2022 gubernatorial race, and the city has secured at least 200 poll workers to manage the workload. Despite the large number of ballots, Molitor is confident the process will not delay results. “It’s still a ballot that we have to handle, open, check in, and then process through the tabulator. So from a time perspective, it’s about the same,” she explained.
Green Bay urges drop‑box use
Green Bay City Clerk Stacy Menke echoed the call for timely ballot submission. After a mishap in the spring election and August primary—when duplicate ballots were mistakenly mailed to voters—Menke reassured residents that safeguards are now in place. “We feel secure about it. We feel confident about it and I understand some of that’s just going to take time with the voters to be reassured in our process,” she said.
Menke warned that ballots mailed too late may not be counted, citing hundreds of April ballots that arrived after the deadline. She encouraged voters who have not yet returned their absentee ballot to use the drop box outside City Hall or bring the ballot directly to the clerk’s office. “I would encourage you, even at this point, if you can, use the drop box … just to make sure that there is no delay with mail processing,” Menke advised.
Statewide absentee voting trends
The Wisconsin Elections Commission reports that absentee voting this cycle is up nearly 7% compared to the same time four years ago. In‑person absentee voting will conclude on Friday, and all ballots must be received by the clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on November 3.
Voters who need guidance on ballot contents can follow the provided link to view sample ballots and learn more about the upcoming contests.
What voters should know
- Check the status of your absentee ballot early to avoid last‑minute issues.
- Use the drop box outside City Hall or deliver the ballot to the clerk’s office if mailing could cause delays.
- Poll locations remain open on Election Day, and poll workers are prepared for a high volume of both absentee and in‑person votes.
With diligent preparation and clear communication, Appleton and Green Bay aim to deliver a timely, accurate election result for the Badger State.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
