Election official: 354 absentee ballots received in Milwaukee had no postmark

MILWAUKEE -- Neil Albrecht, executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission, told FOX6 News that his office has received the following numbers absentee ballots as of Saturday, April 11:

Of the 354 ballots with no postmark, Albrecht said most came in on April 8 or April 9 when it can be easily implied that they were mailed on or prior to April 7. However, he said 105 ballots came in on April 10 or 11 -- which isn't as clear.

Wisconsin election officials told local clerks Friday to abide by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that absentee ballots postmarked no later than election day will count as they prepare to tally results from the state's spring election.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the day before this past Tuesday's election that absentee ballots had to be hand-delivered to clerks on Tuesday or postmarked no later than Tuesday to count. The court left in place a lower judge's ruling that clerks will have until Monday to receive ballots and counting can't begin until 4 p.m. that afternoon.

Returns have been a mess, with clerks receiving hundreds of ballots with no postmarks or ballots with undated markings and smudges, raising questions about whether they qualify as postmarks.