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Green Bay City Leaders say request absentee ballots early

Posted at 9:57 PM, Aug 18, 2020
and last updated 2020-08-18 22:57:31-04

GREEN BAY (WGBA) -- Green Bay City Leaders are advising people take early steps when preparing for the November election.

"The earlier you get them, and the earlier you send them in, the better chance we have to get them and to count them," said Celestine Jeffreys, the Chief of Staff to Mayor Genrich when referring to absentee ballots.

President Trump won Wisconsin by a narrow margin in 2016. This November election could be close again, and Wisconsin is seen as a key swing state. Jeffreys says the city recognizes this could be a major election. She says the city is working now to find more poll workers, as well as looking into the possibility of adding more drop boxes for people to leave absentee ballots.

"There are a lot of options we are exploring and we are talking about it now," She said. "We have a grant to pay more workers and our budget will allow us to maybe add 16 secure drop boxes."

Mail in voting has become a debated topic this year. Jeffreys says there is no reason to worry about voting away from a polling location. In fact, she says it is the safest way to vote during this pandemic.

However, if someone is worried about the USPS, people can fill out their ballots at home and drop them off at a drop box at City Hall. They are monitored by surveillance, and someone from the clerks office will pick them up and count them on election day.

"We don't have any reason to think there will be an issue," she said. "We have that drop box option, and we have a good relationship with the local postal service."

You can request an absentee ballot now, and they will be sent out mid-September. Again, she says the earlier you request it, fill it out and turn it in, the higher chance the vote will be counted in 77 days.

To register to vote or request and absentee ballot, go here: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/