The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for July 16, 2024
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
In a win for Wisconsin voters, a more moderate Wisconsin Supreme Court reinstated the use of ballot drop boxes, and a state appellate court upheld a lower court’s decision on common sense rules governing absentee ballot witness information.
July 5th, Wisconsin’s high court reversed a 2022 decision by a then more conservative court, which said drop boxes were not allowed by the state constitution. The arguments hinged on whether “delivering an absentee ballot to a municipal clerk” meant handing the ballot to a clerk, or using an official drop box. The current court decided that the previous court’s opinion was “unsound in principle” and found that delivering a ballot to a drop box was, in fact, delivering it to a clerk.
A state appeals court affirmed a lower court ruling July 11th that absentee ballots, which require a witness signature and address in Wisconsin, could be counted if there was missing information, provided the witness and address could still be confirmed. Republican legislators had challenged absentee ballots for which voter information was correct, but witness information lacked a complete address, such as a spouse writing “same” in the address line. The order will allow more absentee ballots to be counted.
As state primaries approach, it’s a good time to check your voter registration status with your local election officials.
We have the rulings, local reporting, and the groups taking action linked at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Wisconsin Supreme Court – Opinion in Ballot Drop Box Case
Wisconsin Examiner – Ballot drop boxes now allowed in Wisconsin after state Supreme Court reverses 2022 decision
Wisconsin Examiner – Elections Commission discusses clerk guidance on drop boxes
Wisconsin Appeals Court (via Democracy Docket) – Opinion in Rise, Inc. v. WI Elections Commission Absentee Ballot Rules case
Wisconsin Examiner – Appeals court finds absentee ballots still count without full witness address
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to register to vote, check your registration and vote in your state
Groups Taking Action:
Rise, Inc., Disability Rights Wisconsin, Wisconsin Alliance of Retired Americans
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