Wisconsin election clerks race to understand ballot ruling

By SCOTT BAUER
Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s 1,800-plus election clerks are racing to understand a judge’s ruling nine weeks before the election that some fear could lead to absentee ballots being counted in some parts of the battleground state but rejected in others. A judge on Wednesday barred the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission from issuing guidance to clerks, in place since 2016, about how to handle absentee ballots that are missing all or parts of the address of the person who witnessed the voter casting the ballot. Clerks said Thursday that now means it is up to them to determine which ballots should be counted and which should not. Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell says, “You’re going to get varying interpretations.”