Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson and Waukesha County Clerk Meg Wartman insisted on Monday that they are prepared to receive and publicize Tuesday’s election results from municipalities within their respective counties in an orderly, secure and transparent fashion.
“As clerks we have taken a solemn oath to ensure that elections in our respective counties are accessible and safe, and we have an obligation to ensure results are reported accurately and transparently,” Christenson said. “We care that everyone who has the right to vote is able to cast their ballot and have that ballot counted, regardless of who they vote for. This election is already unprecedented in many ways, and we’re ready to ensure that the results are publicized accurately and in a timely fashion.”
Christenson and Wartman are asking voters in Milwaukee County’s 19 municipalities and the 37 municipalities in Waukesha County to be patient and respectful with poll workers and each other on election day.
“In these perilous times for our nation, Clerk Christenson and I are united in our dedication to making sure that this election runs as safely and smoothly as possible in our respective counties,” Wartman said.
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Milwaukee County and Waukesha County have adapted their processes to make it easier than ever for their constituents to participate in voting, Christenson and Wartman said.
Although Christenson, a Democrat, and Wartman, a Republican, are partisan elected officials, they are adamant that the election duties of their offices are nonpartisan and they are committed to ensuring the election is run in accordance with all state and federal laws.
Voters across the state have submitted absentee ballots in unprecedented numbers, Christenson said. As of Monday, more than 2 million absentee ballots had been issued, with 91 percent returned, he added. About 16 percent of those ballots are in Milwaukee County.
Despite the high number of absentee ballots, Christenson said he expects in-person voting on Tuesday to be “really steady.”
“We have a big job ahead of us, but we’re excited about it,” he said.
Christenson predicted that 89 percent of registered voters in Milwaukee County will cast absentee and in-person ballots.
Milwaukee County Elections Director Julietta Henry said the processing of ballots will take “quite some time” and results aren’t likely to be known until between 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. on Wednesday morning.
Wartman said Waukesha County results likely will be available by 3 a.m. Wednesday.
The health of voters and poll workers is top priority, Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe said.
“Our poll workers have been trained to incorporate public health and social distancing into every step of the process,” Wolfe said.
All poll workers and observers are required to wear masks and face coverings are recommended, but not required, for voters, she said.
“They are not required for voters because you can’t add an additional qualification to the constitutional right to vote.” Wolfe said. “Voters who choose to vote on election day should feel confident that their health and safety is the top priority.”
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, in a briefing with reporters last week, noted that 173 polling locations will be open throughout the city, compared with just five in the April elections, which created massive lines for voters seeking to cast their ballots.
Barret said he is “very pleased” with the number of people who cast ballots at the city’s 14 early voting sites.
