Wisconsin Early Voting

[LuvLoogie]

I had a Wisconsin friend tell me that she was going to vote via an absentee ballot because she would be out of state for a while. Early voting was going to start after she left the state. Then she said she found out that the state doesn't actually tally absentee ballots unless the vote is close. Since she wanted to make sure that her vote will be counted, she is going to come back just to vote.

Now I may have gotten her explanation wrong. but it causes me to wonder if this is true in other states. Also, does early voting get counted immediately , on election night, or not unless the race is close? Thoughts?

[oswaldactedalone]

1. Her vote will count

First, all votes are eventually counted when the Board of Elections certifies the vote count. When you see the totals on election night, those votes might not be included in that count when they say who won the state.

Early voting differs from true "absentee" voting in that those votes show up immediately on election night.

[dragonlady]

2. Wisconsin counts all absentee votes!

Early voting just means casting an absentee vote in person at the city or village hall. It begins October 22 and ends Nov. 2. The ballots that are voted early are saved up until election day and counted then along with the absentee ballots sent in by mail. Some jurisdictions count them (e.g., put them through the optical scan machine) during slow periods during the day or wait until after the polls close. Milwaukee counts absentee ballots from all wards at a separate location rather than at the polls. All are counted if they follow the directions with the ballot (don't forget witness signatures on the envelope).

[4lbs]

3. Absentee ballots must be counted.

If not for the POTUS, for the simple reason to determine the local races.

So, while President Obama may win Winsconsin by 9% or hundreds of thousands of votes, what about your friend's local races in Wisconsin? Mayor, City Council, and all the city/state propositions? They are sometimes decided by only a few hundred votes.

Not counting an absentee ballot because the Presidential winner won by a huge margin would also affect the other people and initiatives.

[Liberal Christian]

4. Late Reply but Relevant

I am a local Election Inspector (poll worker) in Wisconsin. All absentee ballots that arrive by Election Day are delivered to the appropriate polling place and processed and voted on Election Day and are part of the tally that will be given to the county clerk.

The only ballots that would NOT be counted on Election Day are Provisional Ballots or ballots that were postmarked by Election Day, but received late.