Early voting: More than 146,000 absentee ballots cast so far for November 4th election

MADISON (WITI) – More than 146,000 absentee ballots have been cast so far for the November 4th General Election, according to the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board.

Of the 146,196 ballots cast through Friday, October 24th, there were 90,452 early votes cast in clerk’s offices and there were 55,717 cast by mail. There were 28,410 absentee ballots issued that had not yet returned.

“Ballots cast” means ballots completed and returned to the municipal clerk’s office.  Those ballots are stored securely and then counted on Election Day at the polls or an alternate location.

“These are partial numbers. Out of Wisconsin’s 1,852 municipal clerks, 360 use the Statewide Voter Registration System to track absentee ballots. However, those are the state’s larger municipalities, which cover 69 percent of Wisconsin’s voters," Kevin J. Kennedy, Wisconsin’s chief election official said.

Kennedy offered these reminders about absentee voting by mail and in the clerk’s office:

Elections Division Administrator Michael Haas reminded voters that the deadline for voters to mail absentee ballots back to the clerk is Election Day, November 4th.

Ballots must be received in the clerk’s office by 4:00 p.m. Friday, November 7th to be counted.