Gov. Tony Evers issued the following statement regarding U.S. District Judge William Conley’s decision to ease requirements for absentee voting in the upcoming April 7 election. The order extends the deadline to request an absentee ballot to tomorrow, April 3, allows ballots to be counted that are received after the election until April 13, and eases the requirement for a witness signature.
“In the absence of the Legislature doing its part to ensure a fair and safe election, I appreciate that the court chose to implement some of the common-sense solutions that I’ve been advocating for. It’s great news that Wisconsinites will have more time to request and submit a ballot and that clerks will have more time to count ballots. I continue to encourage every Wisconsinite to request their absentee ballot and vote safely from home.”
Previously, the governor proposed legislation that had several provisions aimed at making voting easier and more accessible during the public health emergency. A brief summary of that legislation is available here for review. Additionally, Gov. Evers called for the Legislature to act on this issue in a video, available here.
The amicus brief submitted on behalf of the governor is available here.
