Following criticism from fellow legislators, state Rep. Duey Stroebel, R-Saukville, amended his bill Tuesday that would limit when voters can cast in-person absentee ballots.
Under the current version of the proposed legislation, municipalities are only permitted to accept in-person absentee ballots from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays during the three weeks leading up to Election Day. Voters now also have the ability to make an appointment with their clerk to submit their ballots anytime after 6 p.m. or on the weekend.
In Stroebel’s previous proposal, municipalities were prohibited from accepting absentee ballots on weekends and after 5 p.m. during the week.
The bill, which Stroebel originally introduced last month, does not affect absentee voting by mail.
“The overarching goal has always been to standardize voting statewide to make the voting process more equal and fair, and I believe that this bill does just that,” Stroebel said in a statement. “There is room for reasonable flexibility for municipalities, while still ensuring equal and fair opportunities to vote statewide.”
State Rep. Sandy Pasch, D-Shorewood, called the bill an “anti-democracy measure” and pledged to counter Tuesday by introducing legislation that would allow municipalities to designate more than one site for in-person absentee voting.
“Wisconsin Republicans—as well as their constituents—would be better served by putting their extreme ideological agendas on the backburner and focusing on promoting economic stability for
Wisconsin families,” Pasch said in a statement.
According to the Government Accountability Board, more than 500,000 voters cast absentee ballots in person before last November’s elections.
