WISCONSIN (NBC 26) — A local group of mayors have urged Governor Tony Evers and the state to alter plans for the April 7 election.
In a conference call Friday, Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich, Appleton Mayor Tim Hannah, and Neenah Mayor Dean Kaufert said the election should be principally done by mail. They said an in-person election sends mixed signals at a time we're supposed to keep our distance from others.
"Either this is the most serious health crisis in the country or it's not, and we can't continue to have a message of not doing things, sheltering in place, yet on April 7 it's going to be okay to go out," Mayor Kaufert said.
The mayors brought up several health issues. They said the choice to come vote and risk illness or stay home could lead to voter suppression. They also noted that many poll workers are elderly.
"Continuing this election in a typical way would be a logistical train wreck and a public health travesty," Mayor Genrich said.
Genrich also said he would consider legal action if the election isn't changed.
The mayors acknowledge that shifting to mail-in ballots could delay the election. However, they think their cities could be ready to go in a relatively short amount of a time.
A spokesperson for Governor Evers told us Friday that, “Ensuring the health and safety of Wisconsinites is our top priority, but the governor has said repeatedly that our democracy must continue. He has been urging folks to vote by absentee ballot and believes that process should be as simple and accessible as possible.”
