Dr. LaKeshia N. Myers
By LaKeshia N. Myers
After years of watching Wisconsin suffer through election nights with delayed results and manufactured controversy, I’m thrilled to see Republican lawmakers finally embracing common-sense election reforms. The reintroduction of legislation allowing clerks to begin processing absentee ballots on the Monday before election day isn’t just good policy – it’s essential for our democracy’s health.
As a former member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, I know firsthand how frustrating it can be to champion election reforms that get caught in partisan crossfire. During my tenure, I co-authored Assembly Bill 203 in 2019, which focused on modernizing our in-person absentee voting processes by allowing electronic voting machines for early voting. That bill, like so many others aimed at improving electoral efficiency, faced unnecessary political hurdles despite its clear benefits for Wisconsin voters.
Now, Rep. Scott Krug is taking the lead on what he calls his top priority this session – allowing Monday processing of absentee ballots. This isn’t rocket science; Most states already allow some form of early processing of absentee ballots, but Wisconsin clerks cannot begin until the morning of Election Day. This practice literally handcuffs election officials, then some politicians have the nerve to act surprised when results take longer than expected.
The beauty of this proposal lies in its simplicity. The process includes verifying voters’ information, checking for complete witness information, and running the ballots through a tabulator, with everything allowed to begin on Monday except tallying the results. We’re not talking about counting votes early – we’re talking about getting the paperwork ready so that when Election Day arrives, our clerks can focus on what matters most: accurately tabulating results.
For those who need more convincing, this is a bill that would help Milwaukee. In Milwaukee, where absentee ballots numbering between 50,000 to well over 100,000 in general elections are counted in a central location, counting often stretches into the early hours of Wednesday. These delays don’t just inconvenience news junkies waiting for results – they fuel conspiracy theories and undermine confidence in the electoral system.
The fact that Krug helped work on a poll in April that found 76% of Wisconsinites support the Monday processing proposal shows this isn’t a partisan issue among voters. Wisconsinites want efficient, transparent elections, and they’re tired of artificial delays that serve no security purpose.
I’m particularly encouraged that this legislation comes packaged with other sensible reforms, including standardized rules for ballot drop boxes. While I would have preferred a clean Monday processing bill, I understand the political realities. Sometimes progress requires compromise, and if bundling these measures together helps finally unite the Republican majority on a plan that would shorten the wait for election results and reduce opportunities for election misinformation, then so be it.
What excites me most is the potential this has to quell misinformation and restore faith in our electoral process. When election workers can do their jobs efficiently, when results come in at reasonable hours, and when the process is transparent and observable, conspiracy theories lose their power. An extra day to process ballots would allow election officials to work shorter shifts and get the job done more efficiently, while also giving election observers more opportunities to witness the process firsthand.
Wisconsin has lagged behind other states for too long on this basic reform. The time for half-measures and political games is over. Our democracy deserves better, our election workers deserve better, and our voters deserve better.
I call on all Wisconsin legislators – Republican and Democrat alike – to support this long-overdue reform. Let’s finally give our election officials the tools they need to serve Wisconsin voters efficiently and transparently. Democracy works best when it works smoothly, and Monday processing is a crucial step toward that goal.
The people of Wisconsin are watching, and they’re ready for their representatives to put good governance ahead of partisan posturing. Please don’t disappoint them again.