MILWAUKEE — Absentee voting at state-qualified care facilities is underway across Wisconsin.
Special voting deputies are at eligible locations to give those residents a chance to exercise their right to cast a ballot. Times and locations vary between communities and are posted in a public notice.
"Everybody's voice makes a difference," John Rosenmerkel told TMJ4 News.
John Rosenmerkel has been a resident at Golden Oaks Home in New Berlin for a few years. It is an assisted living facility and one of six similar sites in the city where special voting deputies are administering absentee voting.
Rosenmerkel does not take this service for granted.
"It helps a lot. Not everybody has somebody willing to take them someplace to vote or can do it," Rosenmerkel said. "I'd rather see the person, take it, and deliver it wherever they take them."
Election officials in New Berlin described that voter turnout has been strong since they began first visits.
Watch: Special voting deputies begin administering absentee voting at care facilities
Registered voters at a state-qualified care facility can request a ballot from election officials. Local clerks prepare the ballots that special voting deputies bring on site.
"These are people who have taken an oath and have been determined to be sufficient to serve in that role in their community. They go out in bipartisan pairs and conduct voting as part of a public process," Wisconsin Elections Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe said.
By law, the special election workers must conduct two visits at each facility. They only assist those residents who request it. Family members of residents may be present.
"If the voter doesn't fill out the ballot after that second visit, then I am able to mail it to them, and they can return it either by mail or drop it off," Greenfield's Deputy Clerk Lisa Pelkey stated.
Greenfield is preparing to hold absentee voting at seven care facilities throughout the city. Nearly 400 absentee ballots were requested at those locations.
Pelkey explained that the process is the same as in years past, except for 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
From sealed packaging to assigned seal numbers, Pelkey detailed the multiple steps election workers take to check, track, and verify ballots throughout the process.
"It's all very well monitored. We take great care in making sure that everybody who requests a ballot gets a ballot," Pelkey said. "We are confident that every vote that is cast is by that particular voter."
Check with your local election officials about absentee voting at care facilities.
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