WEC sending postcards to ensure security of absentee voting process

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Wisconsin election officials will be mailing out close to 4,000 postcards to voters this week as part of a series of actions to ensure the absentee voting process is secure.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission let voters know Thursday that absentee voting is a safe method to submit their vote, despite isolated attempts by people trying to find a “perceived flaw in the MyVote website.”

“Voters should rest assured that voting absentee remains a secure way to vote in the upcoming August 9 Partisan Primary,” WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe said. “However, to provide additional reassurance, election officials at the state and local level continue to closely monitor for any indication of potentially unauthorized absentee ballot requests, no matter how rare those incidents may be.”

There will be 3,962 postcards sent out to Wisconsinites whose absentee ballot request for the primary election, which will take place on Aug. 9, is being sent to a different mailing address than the voter registration address on file. The correspondence will serve to remind them of the request and allow them the chance to notify officials if they did not make that request.

The WEC provided this blurb of text that was taken from a portion of the letter:

“This postcard confirms receipt of an absentee ballot request submitted through the MyVote Wisconsin website. The absentee request indicated you would like your ballot sent to an address other than your home/voter registration address.
If you did not submit this request or have questions about your voter record, please call us at the phone number below or email elections@wisconsin.gov. If you submitted this request, no further action is required of you.”

To assure voters further, the WEC detailed that its staff are monitoring the statewide voter registration system for any indications of unauthorized requests of absentee ballots and it will identify any suspicious activity and report it to city clerks. Local election officials will also work with law enforcement on any suspicious activity.

The Commission also added that a final certification at the end of an absentee ballot request on MyVote now includes statutory warnings for voters to acknowledge.

Any Wisconsin voter can help local election officials maintain voter security and any formal complaints submitted to the WEC will be accelerated for consideration.