(The Center Square) – A total of 76% of Wisconsin voters approve of the state allowing absentee ballots to begin being tabulated on the Monday heading into an election, according to a new poll of 600 likely voters in the state.
Wisconsin voting precincts currently must wait until Election Day to county any mail-in or in-person absentee ballots, with several counties including Milwaukee County using central count facilities that lead to delayed reporting of election results.
The Wisconsin Assembly’s elections committee chair – Rep. Dave Maxey, R-New Berlin – has said he wants to do away with Milwaukee’s central count.
An early count proposal from Rep. Scott Krug, R-Nekoosa, passed the Assembly last year but did not pass the Wisconsin Senate. Krug is the chairman of the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections.
The Democracy Defense Project Wisconsin board includes former Attorney General JB Van Hollen, former Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, former U.S. Representative Scott Klug and former Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tat
“Wisconsin elections are important as ever and we will continue to have all eyes on us as we head into another election cycle,” the board said in a statement. “Despite running a tight ship throughout the election season and faith in election integrity rising, Wisconsin still has a reputation problem. There has been an erosion of faith in our democracy with politicians undermining election integrity to bolster their campaign allowing false narratives about ‘stolen elections’ to take root.”
The poll showed that 53% of voters would oppose counting the ballots early if it meant municipalities had to maintain a chain of custody, put cameras on the voting machines and ensure that the tabulator saves an image of every ballot.
“This poll shows we need to continue working to restore faith and trust in institutions currently under attack and we need a two-pronged approach to educate voters on the process to restore credibility and we need reforms like pre-processing to instill more confidence in the process,” the board’s statement said. “These together will bring meaningful change.”
