WAUPACA, WI – Waupaca County is trying to get as many absentee voters as possible.
The COVID-19 concern is not cancelling on-site voting at the polls, but there is a strong request to vote absentee.
“We are trying to limit the number of people that come in,” County Clerk Jill Lodewagon said. “Right now, I would say Waupaca County is doing a really good job.”
She says that is being proven in the number of ballots that they had by the end of last week.
“We had over 3,800 applications for absentee ballots countywide, and three years ago for the presidential race, we had just over 4,300.”
Lodewagon says one concern that may be holding people back is having to use technology to request your ballot and the requirement to load a photo of your ID, but she says even if you can’t do it yourself, there is room to be creative.
“Talk to your municipal clerk, we will get you in touch with your clerk because there are creative ways to do this,” she said. “We can do this through a window for goodness sake, I can take a picture of an ID through the glass, we can do this, we will step up and help one another.”
There is also a requirement to prove it was you who voted.
“You have to have a witness sign that envelope, it does not need to be notarized, it can be a spouse, but you just need some to verify that it was you who filled out the ballot.”
Lodewagon says the idea to observe social distancing, but still give people the chance to vote. If worse comes to worst, as of now, the polls will still be open on April 7th.
“We are going to do everything we can if a person comes, but please, please try to vote absentee.”
Waupaca County Clerk Jill Lodewagon explains the “Need-to-Have- for absentee voting.
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