Polling locations in Southern Wisconsin prepare for a severe weather election

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – The Spring common election coincides with extra extreme climate for Southern Wisconsin, which has county clerks and polling areas getting ready for individuals’s ballots and the potential of nasty climate circumstances.

“We go over emergency plans with our clerks annually only for situations like this,” stated Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell. “Fortuitously, your polling areas are typically the storm shelters of the group. So it’ll usually be essentially the most substantial buildings in a group, church buildings, colleges, and the city corridor.”

McDonell says there shall be a midday assembly Tuesday with Dane County Emergency Administration to reassess the storms within the space. As for the ballots, these are saved in a protected location at every polling place within the occasion of an emergency. McDonell says if the climate will get harmful, the precedence is security.

“Sometimes, what you need to do is convey everyone into the constructing,” stated McDonell. “Get them in a protected location. If now we have to shut a polling location for a few hours, then , the usual can be to petition a court docket to have it keep open later. So you possibly can come again after the storms have gone by way of.”

Rock County Clerk Lisa Tollefson says the principle message to everybody: Get out and vote within the morning.

“We’re encouraging individuals, in case you’re going to the polls, go early,” stated Tollefson. “Attempt to keep away from that climate and watch the climate, hold observe, and hold your self protected.”

McDonell provides the wait instances might be shorter because of a rise in early voting. In response to stats up to date by the Wisconsin Elections Fee on Monday, over 68,000 absentee ballots have been returned, and over 31,000 in-person absentee ballots have been returned in Dane County.

Polls open on Tuesday at 7 a.m.

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