State Voting System Again Causes Delays For Early Voters

A line for early voting outside the Zeidler Municipal Building. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

IT issues are becoming a major thorn in the side of voters and poll workers in Wisconsin.

Higher voter turnout on Tuesday, the first day of early voting, was alleged to have overwhelmed a Wisconsin Elections Commission voter database, causing delays at sites across the state.

Clerks use WisVote to confirm registration status and print a label on each early voting envelope, technically an in-person absentee ballot. The state reported that 97,436 such votes were cast Tuesday.

“WEC staff worked quickly to increase system capacity to ensure that clerks can continue to facilitate in-person absentee voting efficiently,” said a WEC press release issued Tuesday.

But by Wednesday the issue was back, as were long lines.

“WEC staff learned Wednesday that the system delay is not just affecting WisVote label printing – it appears to also be affecting some non-election related state systems as well. High levels of in-person absentee voting do still appear to be compounding the issue,” said the state in a Wednesday afternoon press release. “WEC and state IT personnel are currently analyzing the data we receive and we will provide further information when we learn more.”

In its press release, WEC noted that clerks could handwrite the information. “Printing a label is not required for in-person absentee voting, though it is certainly an added efficiency for our hard-working local election officials,” said the agency.

A City of Milwaukee official told Urban Milwaukee that the slower-than-expected wait should not be seen as a reason for anyone not to vote and that the issue equally impacts communities across the state.

But voters should budget more time to wait for the time being. In Milwaukee there are 10 early voting sites and city voters can go to any site.

Milwaukee saw 4,761 early voters Tuesday.

“That number reflects an enthusiasm about this fall’s elections and is an encouraging sign that this city’s voice will be heard in the local, statewide, and national races,” said Mayor Cavalier Johnson in a statement issued early Wednesday. “”I thank all the Milwaukee election workers for their efforts, and I especially thank the thousands of voters who turned out yesterday. I encourage all eligible voter to consider casting their ballots at one of the city’s ten early voting sites.”

For more on where and when early voting is available in Milwaukee, see our guide.

Looking for a strategy to find a short line? Almost half of the city’s votes came from two sites: the Capitol Drive and Zeidler Municipal Building polling places. Try the site at Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Downtown campus or the Clinton Rose Senior Center.