If you’re looking to vote absentee, Hobart clerk says you’re running out of time

Posted: Aug 4, 2020 / 06:59 PM CDT / Updated: Aug 4, 2020 / 07:29 PM CDT

HOBART, Wis. (WFRV) With the August primary election just one week away, absentee ballots are again playing a key role in the way people chose to vote. But if you’re looking to vote absentee, you’re running out of time.

All across Wisconsin come election day voters will make their voices heard at the polls. But in this latest election cycle Hobart’s interim clerk says many in her village are casting their votes from the comfort of home.

“This election we’ve had about 1,500 absentee ballots sent out already and we have 5,600 registered voters give or take. So it’s a very high turnout so far,” said Erica Berger.

According to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, as of Tuesday, out of 837,000 absentee ballots sent over 370,000 have been returned to clerks statewide. In Brown County of some 40,000 mailed out, nearly 20,000 have since been returned. Brown County Clerk Sandy Juno says more and more people are voting absentee.

“Because of the shortage of poll workers, because of the uncertainty over the COVID virus, in a lot of respects, it makes sense to encourage people to do that,” Juno said.

“You’re going to get the ballot, instructions and a return envelope, it’s all going to come to you,” said Berger.

If you’d like to vote with an absentee ballot, you better act quickly because a deadline is approaching.

“If you want to request a ballot by mail the deadline to do so is 5 p.m. on Thursday,” said Berger.

You can request an absentee ballot on MyVote.WI.gov. Clerks will mail it to you and you’ll need to return the completed ballot by election day.

“You have to sign it and a witness has to sign it, someone has to watch you sign it knowing it’s your signature,” Berger stressed.

That way your absentee ballot will be counted, along with the thousands of others returned to clerks, tallying the final vote on election day.

Juno says you can also place your ballot in a drop box at your municipality’s office by election day. Or bring it to the polls and give it to poll workers.