BROOKFIELD, Wis. — Despite long lines, people are getting in and out quickly for in-person absentee voting in the City of Brookfield. The city says a couple of improvements have the lines moving faster.
Absentee voting envelopes and pens are being handed out as voters line up at City Hall in Brookfield. TMJ4 News reporter Rebecca Klopf met Merina Viernes as she was handed her voting envelope. They snapped her picture, and the time was 11:15 a.m.
"Thank you so much," Merina said as she received her voting envelope.
Klopf followed Merina and others as they went through the lines for in-person absentee voting.
"We got handed the envelope and told what to do in very clear directions," said voters Dave and Rosemary Wehner.
Brookfield voters are filling in absentee voting envelopes because the machines that print out clerical stickers have been down across the state. On top of that, a large number of people are choosing to vote early.
Watch: Rebecca Klopf times how long it takes to early vote in Brookfield:
"Voting, yesterday and Tuesday, was twice the level of the last presidential election in 2020," said Mayor Steven Ponto.
So far, more than 26% of eligible voters have cast absentee ballots in the city. It’s been so busy that the city clerk couldn’t even talk on camera, as every extra person in the office is working the voting lines. However, these changes seem to have made a difference. Lines on Wednesday averaged 30 minutes. Today, some voters said they were in and out in as little as five minutes.
"I got up there, and I was amazed. From what I had heard, I thought we would be in for a long wait," said Sandy Wolff, a Brookfield voter.
They snapped Merina’s picture again after she handed in her ballot, and the time on the clock was 11:30 a.m. — only 15 minutes to get in and out.
"How do you think it went? Was it fast, slow?" asked Klopf.
"It’s okay," said Merina. "It is better than waiting until November."
If you want to beat the lines, city leaders suggest coming either when voting first opens or during the last couple of hours of the day. The hours for in-person absentee voting vary in Brookfield: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Mondays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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