A federal judge has ordered that Wisconsin voters be given an extra six days beyond Tuesday’s election, to submit absentee ballots.
U.S. District Judge William Conley said earlier this week he would not postpone the election despite his misgivings about public health from COVID-19 concerns.
The deadline for voters to get absentee ballots to clerks had been 8 p.m. on Election Day. Conley’s order issued Thursday extends that to 4 p.m. the following Monday, April 13, and lifts the witness signature requirement for absentee ballots. He said voters may state in writing that they could not safely get that due to coronavirus fears.
Conley’s order also extends the deadline to request absentee ballots to 5 p.m. today, Friday April 3.
A lawyer for the Republican National Committee and the Wisconsin Republican Party, Patrick Strawbridge, filed a notice of appeal soon after Conley issued his opinion. The Republican legislature filed an appeal Thursday, too.