The City of Madison will begin extended in-person absentee voting hours next month, following a federal court ruling in a sweeping election law challenge.
Wisconsin Republicans took repeated steps to limit in-person absentee voting since they took power in 2011, including restricting how soon it could start and banning it on weekends. With a federal judge having struck down many of those changes, the Madison City Clerk’s office announced that starting Sept. 26, it would offer in-person absentee voting from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. weekdays and from 9:00 a.m. until noon on Saturdays.
Gov. Scott Walker shrugged off the news Thursday, telling reporters the important thing is that Wisconsin’s voter ID law was upheld.
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“In terms of some of the other provisions out there, those were things the Legislature debated,” Walker said. “But our primary focus is on making sure that a strong form of voter ID is in place at the same time we make it easier to get access.”
The liberal group One Wisconsin Institute, celebrated the change.
“Here’s a big result from our lawsuit: Gov. Walker doesn’t get to decide who votes,” said One Wisconsin Institute director Scot Ross.
Milwaukee’s Election Commissioner has also announced plans to expand early, in-person absentee voting following the federal court ruling.
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