- City of Madison
- Mayor's Office
- Blog
- Wisconsin is the Only State in the Nation Moving Forward with an Election at this Stage of the Pandemic
Wisconsin is the Only State in the Nation Moving Forward with an Election at this Stage of the Pandemic
Posted on Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2020 at 12:46 pm
Madison is Asking a Federal Court to Postpone the Election, Consider Mail-in Ballot
Every state with an election scheduled in the middle of their COVID-19 outbreak has decided to postpone the election – every state except Wisconsin – making our state a national outlier and not in a good way.
Last Friday, Governor Evers asked for absentee ballots be sent to all voters. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald called the idea a “complete fantasy.” But it is clearly the right way to go.
The scientists and specialists at the UW Applied Population Lab share my concern that an in-person election on April 7th creates a significant risk to our efforts to slow the spread.
“Given the speed of COVID-19’s spread within Madison, Dane County, and the State of Wisconsin at this time, we feel strongly that asking voters to attend in-person voting as usual presents an unreasonable risk to individual voters, poll workers, and the general public.” In addition, “polling places are inherently high-contact settings which involve many individuals coming into close contact and touching the same objects over the course of a day.”
Due to these urgent concerns, the City of Madison filed a brief in federal court asking the court to postpone the election for at least three weeks, allow all elected officials to remain in office until their successors are elected, and consider ordering a full mail-in ballot election. The issue is headed to federal court this week with two cases consolidated before Judge William M. Conley, United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin.
With all the evidence in front of me, I can only conclude that the best way – and perhaps the only way – to hold a fair and safe election is to postpone it.
Election Day Safety:
In this period of uncertainty, ensuring fair, accessible, and safe elections on April 7th has been one of my top priorities for many weeks now. In an astonishing feat the City Clerk has processed some 70,000 absentee ballots.
At the same time, City staff have been working hard to prepare for an in-person election and to keep it safe. The plans they’ve created to keep poll workers and voters safe on Election Day are impressive. Staff are searching for and even fabricating plastic face shields and Plexiglas barriers to protect both poll workers and voters from interfacing directly with each other. They’re planning for as much curbside voting as possible, and supplying each polling station with hand sanitizer, disinfectant spray, and gloves. On Election Day they’ll work to maintain at least 6 feet between poll workers and voters.
And yet challenges remain. We need 1,500 poll workers to manage the voting process on April 7th. To date, more than 1,000 volunteer poll workers have cancelled. And I can understand why – many are seniors who we’ve stressed should stay home. We’re working to recruit new volunteers, but admittedly must target folks in their 20s, 30s, and 40s – the age bracket with the highest rates of positive tests for COVID-19. In addition, we’ve received cancellations from several polling locations. We’re down to 66 polling locations, from an original 92. Combining multiple wards into a single location is our only solution at this point, but this will create larger gatherings and challenge our social distancing goals.
You can stay updated on polling place changes here.
Absentee Fairness and Access:
Sending each voter a mail-in ballot is the best option to help slow the spread of COVID-19. But I believe a fair and accessible all-absentee election is impossible to achieve by April 7th. The logistics of managing an all-absentee process require more time to put in place – and further strain a Clerk’s Office workforce that has already been under immense pressure and is beyond exhaustion.
The Clerk’s Office expected and planned for issuing 6,000-8,000 absentee ballot requests this spring. By now, they have sent out 70,000. They’ve struggled to find enough ballot envelopes and enough mailing labels, and they’ve worked 90-110 hour work weeks to manage the volume of requests, losing sleep and straining their own immune systems in the process. Producing tens of thousands more absentee ballots on the current schedule is not possible.
I also question whether an all-absentee election can be fair under our current rules and timeframe. The Madison Clerk’s Office takes hundreds of phone calls a day from voters who are struggling to navigate the online system or who live alone and cannot get a witness to sign their ballot.
An all-absentee election, while safer, comes with its own set of logistical and accessibility issues that cannot be solved without more time and resources. Shifting the method of voting without shifting the date does not solve our problems.
With all of these factors in mind, I can only come to one conclusion: we must postpone the April 7th election to keep everybody safe and to keep our elections fair.
Subscribe to Mayor Satya's Blog Updates
Recent Articles
Archive
- Supporting the Federal Equality Act
- Health Insurance Resources Available to Madisonians
- Supporting Small Business
- Emergency Rental Assistance: Local and Federal
- New Administration Takes Action on Immigration
- Black History Month Resources & Events from Madison Public Library
- Black History Month
- Madison Applauds President Biden’s Announcement that All Federal Fleets Will Be 100% Electric
- Supporting Our Unsheltered Neighbors
- Recognizing February 2021 as Black History Month in the City of Madison.
- Honoring Madison’s Health Care Heroes Battling COVID-19
- Reckoning with the Past, Writing the Future – Thoughts on Black History Month
- Mayoral Proclamation for Madison Native Karlin Younger
- Madison Featured as a Climate-Change Haven
- Madison Joins National Gun Violence Survivors Week Movement and Pledge
- Fifty Years and Counting
- Madison Kicks off 2021 with #Teamcity Awards Focused on Teamwork
- An Open Letter to Our New President and Vice President
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day Message from Mayor Rhodes-Conway
- Ya Estan Disponibles Los Fondos Para La Siguiente Ronda Del Programa De Proteccion De Pago (PPP)
- Next Round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Funding Available
- Growing our Housing Options in Madison with Cooperatives
- Honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- City Buildings and Fleet Named Dane County Climate Champions
- Madison Parks Keep You Active Outdoors this Winter
- A Message from the Streets Division-This Winter will be Different
- City Program to Support Small Businesses Underway
- Team City Awards
- Supporting Local Business and Each Other
- Safer to Report Harassment Under our New Policy
- Madison to Receive up to $500,000 to Support Guaranteed Income Pilot
- Madison Receives Highest Possible Score in Human Rights Campaign Annual Report
- Centering Racial Equity and Social Justice
- Displacement of Elderly Residents
- An Open Letter In Support of Meaningful Conversation and Action to Address Systemic Racism in Government and all American Institutions
- Eight Can’t Wait
- Addressing Racial Bias Within City Government
- Building an Inclusive Workplace
- Budget Spotlight: Housing and Community Services
- Madison ACRE Participants
- Shared Streets, Let’s Plan for Next Year
- The Federal Government Must Mitigate the Impacts of any F-35 Deployment
- Millions Available to Support Community-Based Organizations That Provide Affordable Housing
- Budget Spotlight: Equitable Economic Development Programs
- Federal Support for Alternative Crisis Response Teams
- Mayoral Proclamation: Election Hero Day
- Madison Clerk’s Office Honored for Safe, Secure Elections in the Midst of a Pandemic
- Madison Wins Salute To Local Government Awards -Effective Response to COVID-19 Challenge
- Five Mayors, One Challenge
- Asking Everyone to Do Their Part
- New Leaf & Yard Waste Pickup Schedule
- Vote Early Day is Saturday, October 24th
- In-Person Absentee Voting Underway
- Obama Highlights Madison Civilian Oversight Board
- The City's Financial Resources Hotline has been Launched
- Tough Choices on the Budget
- Millions of Dollars to Support Affordable Housing in Madison
- 2021 Executive Operating Budget Message
- Reimagining Public Safety - Progress and Budget Priorities
- Cast your ballot today!
- Pandemic Assistance for our Immigrant Residents-with clarifying information
- Local Municipalities Need Federal Pandemic Relief
- Seeking Support for Equitable Community Access to Elections
- Request to Public Service Commission to Extend Utility Shut-Off Moratorium
- The Need for Federal Pandemic Relief
- City's Streatery Program Growing Fast
- Mask Up Madison
- Mayor Rhodes-Conway and City Leaders Announce Agreement to End School Resource Officer Contract
- Juneteenth-A Message from Mayor Rhodes-Conway
- Dream Up and Dream Big-Dream Up Programs Advance
- Statement of Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway
- Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Common Council Members Write to Sheriff Mahoney
- Now Is Time For Change
- Join me in Supporting President Obama’s Call to Action on Police Reform
- Madison Mayor Tells Trump Not to Deploy the Military Against Protestors - Supports Rep. Pocan’s Bill to Require Congressional Authorization
- Statement of Mayor Rhodes-Conway Commemorating Breonna Taylor
- Statement of Mayor Rhodes-Conway
- Pride Survives
- "Streatery" Restaurant Recovery Program- A Message from Mayor Rhodes-Conway
- Phase One Reopening Begins Today in Madison
- Wear your Cloth Facial Coverings this Memorial Day Weekend!
- A Message from the Mayor About the Heroes Act in Congress
- City of Madison Invests in the Madison Black Chamber of Commerce and the Latino Chamber of Commerce to Help Businesses During the COVID-19 Crisis
- Public Health Madison and Dane County Announces Preparation Phase to Open Up Businesses in Dane County
- Data and Science Will Guide Our Decision Making
- Meet Justin Stuehrenberg- Metro Transit’s New General Manager
- Community Testing Site Now Available at Alliant Energy Center
- Your 2020 Census form – An Easy and Safe Way to Help our Community
- Friday Good News Updates
- An Update on our Community and COVID-19.
- Homegrown Harvests During the Badger Bounce Back
- Contact Tracing’s Role in Re-Opening Wisconsin
- A Friday Update of Some Good News and Opportunities from Mayor Rhodes-Conway
- COVID-19 Testing: Why It Matters to Re-Opening the Economy, What it Takes, and Where Things Stand
- How Dangerous Is This Virus? How COVID-19 Attacks the Body
- Learning from the Past
- A Message from Mayor Rhodes-Conway Regarding Mental Health Care and COVID-19
- Some Opportunities During this Pandemic
- COVID-19 Update from Mayor Rhodes-Conway
- Earth Day in the Time of COVID-19
- Badger Bounce Back - a Path to a Safer Recovery
- Mayor Rhodes-Conway's Statement in Support of First Responders during the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Some good news from Mayor Rhodes-Conway
- COVID-19 Update from Mayor Rhodes-Conway
- COVID-19 and Some Essential City Services
- Homeless Services – Response to COVID-19 Pandemic-A Message from Mayor Rhodes-Conway
- Mayor Rhodes-Conway's Statement Regarding Community Gardens and COVID-19
- City of Madison Looking for COVID-19 Cloth Face Covering Donations
- Let’s Double Down on Physical Distancing and Social Solidarity
- Thank you for Supporting Our Elections! A Message from Mayor Rhodes- Conway
- Mayor Rhodes-Conway Update on COVID-19
- Tus Tswv Zos Rhodes-Conway Daim Ntawv Qhia Txog Tsis Txhob Xaiv Ntsej Xaiv Muag Hauv Lus Zej Zog
- Reaching Out and Helping Others
- Mayor Rhodes-Conway’s Statement on Rejecting Racism in Our Community
- Mayor Rhodes-Conway’s Statement on Transportation in Regards to COVID-19
- Wisconsin is the Only State in the Nation Moving Forward with an Election at this Stage of the Pandemic
- COVID-19 Update from Mayor Satya
- Complete the Census and Encourage Others to Join You!
- Mayor Rhodes-Conway's Statement Regarding COVID-19 and Protecting the Homeless
- Mayor Rhodes-Conway’s Statement on How to Slow the Spread of COVID-19
- City of Madison Actions on Coronavirus: Updated March 24
- Mayor Rhodes-Conway's Message Today at the Press Conference with the County Executive and Public Health Director
- Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s Statement on Food with Regards to COVID-19
- Statement of Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway on Voting with Regard to COVID-19
- Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s Statement on Local Business with Regards to COVID-19
- Taking Care of Children
- Mayor Rhodes-Conway Statement on City of Madison Actions on Coronavirus
- Our best defense is our collective action
Category
Uncategorized
-
Madison Clerk’s Office Honored for Safe, Secure Elections in the Midst of a Pandemic
-
"Streatery" Restaurant Recovery Program- A Message from Mayor Rhodes-Conway
-
Meet Justin Stuehrenberg- Metro Transit’s New General Manager
-
Community Testing Site Now Available at Alliant Energy Center
-
Your 2020 Census form – An Easy and Safe Way to Help our Community
-
A Friday Update of Some Good News and Opportunities from Mayor Rhodes-Conway
-
COVID-19 Testing: Why It Matters to Re-Opening the Economy, What it Takes, and Where Things Stand
-
A Message from Mayor Rhodes-Conway Regarding Mental Health Care and COVID-19
-
Mayor Rhodes-Conway's Statement in Support of First Responders during the COVID-19 Pandemic
-
Homeless Services – Response to COVID-19 Pandemic-A Message from Mayor Rhodes-Conway
-
City of Madison Looking for COVID-19 Cloth Face Covering Donations
-
Let’s Double Down on Physical Distancing and Social Solidarity
-
Thank you for Supporting Our Elections! A Message from Mayor Rhodes- Conway
-
Tus Tswv Zos Rhodes-Conway Daim Ntawv Qhia Txog Tsis Txhob Xaiv Ntsej Xaiv Muag Hauv Lus Zej Zog
-
Mayor Rhodes-Conway’s Statement on Rejecting Racism in Our Community
-
Mayor Rhodes-Conway's Statement Regarding COVID-19 and Protecting the Homeless
-
Mayor Rhodes-Conway’s Statement on How to Slow the Spread of COVID-19
-
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s Statement on Food with Regards to COVID-19
-
Statement of Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway on Voting with Regard to COVID-19
-
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s Statement on Local Business with Regards to COVID-19
-
Mayor Rhodes-Conway Statement on City of Madison Actions on Coronavirus
-
The F-35 Final Environmental Impact Statement, Additional Information and Timeline
-
Statement by Mayor Rhodes-Conway on the Passing of Detective Nicholas Ryan
-
Comments Regarding F-35 Draft Environmental Impact Statement FR #2018-02468
-
City Staff Memo & Maps on F-35 Environmental Impact Statement
Affordable Housing
-
Madison Kicks off 2021 with #Teamcity Awards Focused on Teamwork
-
Madison to Receive up to $500,000 to Support Guaranteed Income Pilot
-
Millions Available to Support Community-Based Organizations That Provide Affordable Housing
-
Millions of Dollars to Support Affordable Housing in Madison
-
Urban League and City of Madison Announce Wealth-Building Partnership
Equity
-
Black History Month Resources & Events from Madison Public Library
-
Recognizing February 2021 as Black History Month in the City of Madison.
-
Reckoning with the Past, Writing the Future – Thoughts on Black History Month
-
Madison Joins National Gun Violence Survivors Week Movement and Pledge
-
Madison Kicks off 2021 with #Teamcity Awards Focused on Teamwork
-
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Day Message from Mayor Rhodes-Conway
-
Ya Estan Disponibles Los Fondos Para La Siguiente Ronda Del Programa De Proteccion De Pago (PPP)
-
Next Round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Funding Available
-
A Message from the Streets Division-This Winter will be Different
-
Madison to Receive up to $500,000 to Support Guaranteed Income Pilot
-
Madison Receives Highest Possible Score in Human Rights Campaign Annual Report
-
The Federal Government Must Mitigate the Impacts of any F-35 Deployment
-
Madison Wins Salute To Local Government Awards -Effective Response to COVID-19 Challenge
-
Update on City Work Related to Criminal Justice Reform, Crime Prevention, and Racial Disparities
-
Urban League and City of Madison Announce Wealth-Building Partnership
-
Pandemic Assistance for our Immigrant Residents-with clarifying information
-
Request to Public Service Commission to Extend Utility Shut-Off Moratorium
-
Mayor Rhodes-Conway and City Leaders Announce Agreement to End School Resource Officer Contract
-
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Common Council Members Write to Sheriff Mahoney
-
Join me in Supporting President Obama’s Call to Action on Police Reform
-
Statement of Mayor Rhodes-Conway Commemorating Breonna Taylor
-
Welcome and Congratulations to the 62nd Class of Madison Police Department Recruits
Sustainability
-
Madison Applauds President Biden’s Announcement that All Federal Fleets Will Be 100% Electric
-
Madison Kicks off 2021 with #Teamcity Awards Focused on Teamwork
-
City Buildings and Fleet Named Dane County Climate Champions
-
Mayor Rhodes-Conway's Statement Regarding Community Gardens and COVID-19
-
Not My Kind of Tea: Keeping Leaf Tea from Entering Our Lakes
Tags
- #TeamCity
- 2021 Operating Budget
- 8 Can't Wait
- AASPIRE
- absentee voting
- ACRE Program
- Addressing Racial Bias
- Affordable Housing
- Apprenticeship
- Assisted living
- ballot drop box
- Black History Month
- BRT
- Business
- CAHOOTS
- CBS Sunday Morning
- Census
- Child Care
- Children
- City Fleet
- City services
- Civilian Oversight Board
- Climate Champions
- Climate Change
- collaboration
- Community
- community investment
- Community Services
- contact tracing
- Coronavirus
- COVID
- COVID-19
- COVID-19 Relief
- Crisis Response Team
- Del Programa De Proteccion De Pago
- Department of Civil Rights
- Dream Up Program
- Early Voting Day
- Earth Day
- Election Hero Day
- elections
- Electric Vehicles
- Employment and Training
- engineering
- environment
- Equity
- Equity Coordinator
- F-35
- F35 Noise Mitigation
- fair elections
- Federal Equity Act (H.R. 5)
- federal relief
- Financial Resources Hotline
- food
- Forward Dane
- gardening
- gardens
- Gun Violence Survivors Week
- Health
- health care heroes
- Health Insurance Resources
- Health/Wellness
- homeless
- homelessness
- Honorary #TeamCity
- Honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- housing
- Housing Co-ops
- Housing Forward
- immigration
- Inclusive workplace
- Infrastructure
- Internship
- Juneteenth
- leaf collection
- Length of Service
- Look Forward
- Madison Parks
- Madison Poilce
- Madison Police Department
- masks
- Mayors for Guaranteed Income
- Mayors Voting Challenge
- Mental Health
- Metro Transit
- MetroForward
- Muncipal Equality Index
- neighborhoods
- Pandemic Assistance
- parks
- Paycheck Protection Program
- Policing
- polling locations
- President Biden
- Pride Month
- Prohibited Harassment and Discrmination Policy
- Public Safety
- Public Service Commission
- Reimagining Public Safety
- Rental assistance
- Safer at Home
- Safety
- SBER
- Shared streets
- Small Business Equity and Recovery
- Small Business Equity and Recovery Program
- social distance
- Statewide Award for Janel Heinrich
- Streatery
- Streets
- Support Local First
- Sustainability
- Systemic Racism
- Team City Award Winners
- TeamCity
- Testing
- transportation
- Truax
- Vice President Harris
- Vote
- Voter Registration Day
- voting
- Winter snow removal
- Youth