Rulings from a Dane County judge could mean fewer absentee ballots being rejected in Wisconsin elections. Judge Ryan Nllsestun ruled Tuesday that clerks cannot reject ballots lacking certain witness information, such as zip codes or municipalities.
The rulings stem from separate lawsuits by the League of Women Voters and youth voter activist group Rise. Nilsestuen agreed with Rise’s argument that a witness address is complete if it provides enough information “to reasonably discern . . . where the witness may be communicated with.”
He rejected arguments for a more restrictive definition from the Elections Commission and Republican lawmakers, noting state statute doesn’t explicitly define an address for absentee balloting.
Any challenge to Nilsestuen’s ruling would likely end up being heard in the Wisconsin Supreme Court, where liberal justices now hold a 4-3 majority.