09-22-2020, 05:06 PM
(09-22-2020, 12:23 AM)ChiefD Wrote: Hi everyone. I voted today. I just wanted to give you all an idea of what voting absentee in Wisconsin is like. I know each state is doing their own thing, and some states don’t allow voting by mail at all. Wisconsin does. It started with a website - myvote.wi.gov... I was able to get on and order an absentee ballot. It was easy and secure. I had to attach a pic of my driver’s license and give my address. They actually check to make sure you’re registered to vote. If you are not registered to vote, they redirect you to another section of the site where you can register to vote. It’s all very convenient.
Once you fill out the information, they process your application and mail you a ballot. It took a little over two weeks for me to get my ballot, not too bad. There were a couple of ways I could do the ballot. I had the option of having a witness observe that I filled out the ballot, sign with me on the envelope, and then I put the ballot in the envelope and put it in the mail. What I chose to do was the other option. I needed to get a walk in anyway, so I walked to my city clerk’s office and had them witness me filling out the ballot. I put it in the envelope and sealed it. I signed, and the clerk signed and put it in the ballot box. Yes, they did ask to see my driver’s license. Whole process took less than five minutes.
So for me at least, it wasn’t difficult or a cluster for the process. Again, I have no idea what other states are doing, but I think what Wisconsin is doing is an example for other states to follow. I’m glad I’m done. I won’t have to stand in a long line in the cold (it’s always cold on Election Day), hoping I don’t get COVID-19 from the crowds. So there’s that.
What you chose was the absentee ballot voting. That's a safe and convenient way to vote. It's the "other" mail-in voting that is dangerous: People getting ballots they did not request. Dead people (and cats!) receiving ballots. People getting ballots for people who may no longer live at that address; someone else could easily fill those out and mail it in.
Some states are not even making it a requirement that the signature be authorized on mail-in ballots.
The post office losing ballots, or dumping them in the trash is another major problem with vote-by-mail.
This is why President Trump keeps saying absentee voting is okay, but not vote-by-mail.
I have always voted in person, early or on election day. If I vote early, which I intend to do, I'll have to go to the court house in town to cast my ballot on the machine after showing my ID. If I wait until election day, I'd have to go to the designated school in my district. Neither place is that far from me, so that isn't a problem. But early voting will allow me to not have to stand in line when the weather turns colder, so that's what I'll be doing this time.