'Ridiculous:' Late Night of Vote Counting Has Mayor Asking for a Better Solution
While the polls closed at 8 p.m. on election day, Nov. 6, counting of absentee ballots went late into the evening, prompting Muskego's Mayor to ask for help from the state
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Muskego's turnout in the Nov. 6 presidential election was indeed robust, and for the most part went off without a hitch.
"I have to say thank you to our election officials, the day went unbelievably smooth," Mayor Kathy Chiaverotti announced just prior to the Common Council meeting on Tuesday. "We also had a record number of early voters, and we had extra poll workers that we called in to central count here at City Hall to work with the absentee ballots. Even I was enlisted to help out, and I can tell you the process is just ridiculous," she said.
Workers took until past 2 a.m. Wednesday morning to complete the casting of nearly 7,000 absentee ballots. They began around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, and the process of opening each ballot in a sealed envelope had the mayor shaking her head.
"I've met with our representative Dave Craig to see if there is something that can be done to alleviate this situation. There should be no reason early voters can't take their ballot and place it in a machine right away instead of having them all sealed individually to be opened later and then cast."
Muskego's next election is February 19 for the aldermanic primary, however it's unlikely that any changes will be made by the state by that time.
Simple Bacon
9:53 am on Friday, November 16, 2012
Counting votes is ridiculus? No matter how a vote is cast it needs to be , individually, accounted for on election day.... unless it's too much of hassle.
Muskego Mike
11:32 am on Friday, November 16, 2012
This was the first election that I voted absentee. For major elections, I'll do this again.
"There should be no reason early voters can't take their ballot and place it in a machine right away instead of having them all sealed individually to be opened later and then cast." --> Seems like a good idea.
Simple Bacon
12:10 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
Wouldn't that be essentially counting votes early? Seems like that information could be leaked out in advance of the real voting day. By placing your vote in the envelope it is protected until election day. At some point it still needs to go through voter roll verification.
In my opinion, early voting has gotten out of hand, is ripe for abuse, and ought to only be allowed in case of demonstrated hardship. We've come to believe this is a right of convenience and not civil responsibility. Reducing early voting would eliminate the need for staff to stay late and would also cut down on fraud. If I have to stand in a long line to vote I'm going to do it because it one of the very few things expected of me as a citizen. And, really, how often do we have a turnout like this?
I oppose changing the way we handle elections based on one example of extraordinary turnout.
Interested Party
12:49 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
In answer to your question, no it wouldn't be counting votes early. The votes wouldn't be tabulated until election day. The voting machine could be secured just as the absentee ballots are secured. Let me ask you a question, do you work? Anyone who has a full time job is very limited as to the hours they can vote. The early voting is a good idea. It alleviates the long lines. I am sure a better process can be created which would eliminate the hassle of hand counting and verifying over 7,000 ballots.
Simple Bacon
10:14 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Yes, I work full time and my commute is 90 minutes each way. Never missed an election.
I'd hazard a guess that most people these days would stand in line for hours for a Black Friday deal on a new iPhone but expect drive thru service on election day. Not saying this is you Interested Party but I'm not all that sympathetic to the demands for low wait time on something that should be as important as electing our President.
Still think we'll be giving up integrity to make things easy. But that's our society these days. Voting used to be worth some sacrifice. Look at countries like Iraq and the lines those people endured. They relish the opportunity to cast their vote. We take it for granted.
Denise Konkol
2:00 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
Ridiculous refers to the method, not the ability to cast ballots. I can see where having someone else handle your ballot on election day may pose an issue, versus just being able to send it through a machine when you complete it.
Gregory Kluck
4:55 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
Interested Party, Employers are required by law to give time off for voting if needed. It's unpaid however and I believe is about an hour and a half.
SBR
11:59 pm on Friday, November 16, 2012
Really? I've never heard that before. Where can I verify that?
Interested Party
6:18 am on Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Well my drive is 45 minutes each way to work. That leaves me no time to stand in line.