Wauwatosa City Sets April 7 As Deadline To Return Absentee Ballots And April 13 As Receiving Date

Press release from the City of Wauwatosa:

The U.S. Supreme Court blocked a plan to extend absentee voting in Wisconsin. All absentee ballots must be postmarked by April 7 and received by April 13.

You can also drop off your ballot in the secure payment depository at City Hall (located at the south west end of the building near the employee entrance). If you plan to drop off your ballot, you must drop off your ballot by April 7 at 8:00 pm.

If you have not received your absentee ballot in the mail yet, plan to vote in person on April 7. Find your polling place.

Original Article:

On April 2, a federal judge issued an order that affects absentee voting for Wauwatosa's April 7 election.

Here are the three ways it affects absentee voting:

1. The deadline to return your absentee ballot is now 4:00 p.m. on April 13. You can return your ballot via mail, on Election Day at your polling location, or by putting it in the secure payment depository at City Hall.
2. The deadline to request an absentee ballot online at myvote.wi.gov is extended to 5 pm April 3
3. *Acceptance of unwitnessed ballots that contain a written affirmation or other statement by an absentee voter that due to COVID-19 they are unable to safely obtain a witness certification despite their reasonable efforts to do so provided the ballot is otherwise valid.

This means that final election results will not be available until after April 13. The results are final after the Milwaukee County Board of Canvassers certifies them. They submit these to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

*Update on Friday, April 3:

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has issued an order removing the option for absentee voters to submit a statement indicating they were unable to get a witness signature. Effective immediately, all voters must have a witness signature on their ballot for it to be counted.

This press release was produced by the City of Wauwatosa. The views expressed here are the author’s own.