Opinion: Clerks from both parties uphold WI election integrity. You can be confident voting.

Election clerks from both parties working to ensure all votes count fairly.

Election Day is just one month away.

Voters here in Wisconsin will have a real opportunity to make their voices heard in November. New legislative maps are finally in place, ending the long reign of gerrymandered districts that gave Republicans their disproportionate hold on power for more than a decade.

The GOP’s concentrated power led to policies that hurt working families and undermined abortion rights in our state. It also fueled the illegal — and frankly, embarrassing — efforts by Republicans to overturn the 2020 presidential election and to restrict our voting rights.

Unfortunately, those efforts continue today. Donald Trump continues to lie about the integrity of our elections and has threatened to make voting harder, and even to jail his opponents, if he wins.

Wisconsin clerks working tirelessly to ensure all votes cast count

Hundreds of clerks here in Wisconsin — Republicans and Democrats — have been working tirelessly to ensure that when you cast your ballot this year, it will count.  These election workers are your neighbors and friends, who want nothing more than to carry out a fair and secure election. 

When you go to cast your ballot this year, you’ll have the opportunity to do so early in-person, by absentee ballot, or at your polling location on Election Day. And, thanks to a recent Wisconsin Supreme Court decision, callous efforts to prohibit the use of secure ballot drop boxes across Wisconsin have been stopped. Drop boxes help folks who have trouble getting to the polls, like those who are disabled or elderly, have a convenient option to cast their ballot. Unfortunately, some communities in Wisconsin are choosing to forgo their use this election, so make sure to plan ahead.

Thankfully, over the last few years, our governor has been able to stop right-wing bills and efforts to restrict voting rights from becoming law.  But bad actors who want to subvert our elections have not stopped there.

They’ve used the fires of doubt that they themselves lit to justify these efforts — and they’re likely to try it again if they win in November. Republicans continue to raise questions about the legitimacy of our elections by spreading falsehoods about noncitizens voting, even though such voting is already illegal in Wisconsin.

Judging from the past, there’s no telling what radical-right majorities in the legislature might try if Wisconsin voters don’t give them the outcome they want. Republican lawmakers could challenge the legitimate vote count in court, try to derail the certification process, or even try to throw out votes.

Why it’s not unusual for results to not be known election night

When in doubt, get your information from trusted sources like your local election official. We may not know the results on election night, as it sometimes takes several days to count every ballot.  This is part of the normal counting process.

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Above all the noise this election cycle, remember this: you can make a difference by voting in resounding numbers for the kind of leaders you want to represent you. Here’s how: Make sure your voter registration is up to date, and if you haven’t registered already, do so now at MyVote.WI.gov. Find out the rules for how, where and when to vote, and have a plan to vote. If you vote absentee, make sure to include a witness signature on your ballot to ensure your vote is counted, and get it in the mail so it arrives before Election Day.  

When we work together and participate in our democracy, we can build a better state and a stronger country.

Be informed, be patient on Election Day, and above all, vote.

Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, is the Assembly minority leader.