Local Absentee Voting for Recall on Higher Pace than 2008 Presidential Election

As the last leg of the Wisconsin recall election begins this week, a significant number of people have requested absentee ballots in Bayside, pushing to extend their hours to 12-hour shifts Tuesday through Thursday. 

"I have never seen the traffic at Village Hall like we have now," Village Manager Andy Pederson said. "If people want to come in and vote, we'll be here from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m."

On Thursday, opening day for absentee voting, 8 percent of Bayside voters requested absentee ballots. Pederson said officials are expecting somewhere between 15 and 20 percent of voters to vote absentee prior to election day. That's more than the 13.2 percent who voted absentee for the 2008 presidential election. 

In Fox Point, as of Friday, the village already had 5 percent turnout for those requesting absentee ballots. 

"Things have been busy," Clerk Tanya O'Malley said.  

In the spring primary, poll workers reported many However, in this election, voters can vote for both parties if they want one for governor and one for lieutenant governor. 

"There's been speculation that you could end up with a one party governor and a different party lieutenant governor," Pederson said. "They do need to vote in both, though; they're not voting in a ticket, you're voting as individuals."

But this week isn't just the deadline for absentee voting, Thursday is also the deadline for final property tax payments. 

"We're open when a lot of people are at work and so to try to accommodate people who may not be able to make it to the polls on the fifth, or for those who are just concerned about the long lines (we'll stay open later)," Pederson said.