Be prepared

“Change is a constant in Wisconsin’s rules for holding elections.”

That was the opening statement in a June 29 decision authored by Judge Frank H. Easterbrook of the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, which reinstated several voting restrictions first put into place by the Republican-controlled legislature way back in 2011. The ruling reversed a lower court’s decision in a pair of lawsuits filed in 2016 by the liberal One Wisconsin Institute, which claimed the restrictions were unconstitutional.

So, once again, the rules of the game are being changed in the middle of an election year here in Wisconsin. As a result of this latest decision, early in-person voting will be significantly scaled back, voters must live in their voting district for 28 days (instead of the previous 10) before they can cast a ballot in local elections and emailing or faxing absentee ballots is now prohibited.

Of course, nothing can ever be clear-cut when it comes to election-related court rulings. The Wisconsin Department of Justice has advised the state’s election commission that the June 29 ruling will not actually go into effect until “around July 21,” when the court is expected to issue an official mandate. Until then, according to the DOJ, municipalities are still free to decide when and for how many hours they offer in-person absentee voting.

Still, under the ruling, early in-person voting will be allowed for no more than 12 days before the election. For the Aug. 11 primary election, this means in-person absentee ballots can only be accepted starting July 28 and no later than Aug. 9.

This has raised the hackles of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, whose city had planned on accepting in-person absentee ballots for a full month before the election (like many municipalities do).

“Once again, we have our federal courts coming in and interfering in a way that’s not helpful to the city,” he told a FOX 6 news reporter.

Still, Judge Easterbrook noted in his opinion that Wisconsinites are not exactly left without any options when it comes to voting.

“Wisconsin has lots of rules that make voting easier,” he wrote, going on to list all the ways the state makes accommodations for those who want to cast a ballot. “These facts matter when assessing challenges to a handful of rules that make voting harder.”

Whether you agree with his viewpoint or not, the reality is, exercising your right to vote is not always as simple and easy as it should be. It is incumbent upon each and every voter to make sure they are prepared to cast a ballot on or before Election Day. Voting is not like ordering something on Amazon; it takes more than a few mouse clicks to complete the process.

Here are a few basic pieces of advice for voters who don’t want to be disenfranchised because of technical or legal issues:

_ Make sure you are registered and your information is up-to-date. The website, myvote.wi.gov, is an invaluable resource for confirming that you are currently registered to vote. It can also walk you through the process of registering online, requesting an absentee ballot and finding out where and when to vote. With efforts underway to purge the voter rolls of those with outdated information, now is the time to make sure you are properly registered at your current address.

_ Stay informed. With so many election-related lawsuits still making their way through the court system, it is more important than ever to pay attention to the news. The rules for voting can change suddenly, and confusion is inevitable, so don’t be afraid to consult your local municipal clerk if you have questions.

_ Volunteer as a poll worker or help register people to vote. Voting may be an individual act, but it’s also a collective responsibility. What better way to promote democracy than helping as many people as possible vote?

The Tribune-Phonograph editorial board consists of publisher Kris O’Leary and editor Kevin O’Brien