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Clerk briefs council on absentee mailings, drop box security and voter deadlines ahead of Nov. 5 election
Summary
City Clerk Steve Bratz and Deputy Zach Kessler reported the August primary turnout, detailed absentee-ballot mailings (5,705 sent so far), drop-box procedures and security and reminded council of voter registration and in-person absentee (early voting) deadlines and hours for the Nov. 5 general election.
City Clerk Steve Bratz and Deputy Clerk Zach Kessler briefed the Common Council about election administration and the upcoming Nov. 5 general election.
Bratz said the August partisan primary went smoothly with 43.2% turnout and provided a breakdown of absentee-mailings. “We sent as of Friday, we sent out 5,571… The total absentees that we emailed were at that time were 132,” he said; later Bratz said the total absentee mailings stood at 5,705 as of the briefing.
Kessler described operations for absentee-drop boxes (the city’s drop box is in the City Hall parking lot), security and procedures for handling misdirected ballots. The drop box will close at 7:30 p.m. on election night to allow staff time to empty and log ballots; absentee ballots must be returned to the clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on election day.
Bratz reviewed in-person absentee (often called early voting) hours and registration deadlines: voters can update registration through the My Vote website until Oct. 16; from Oct. 17 through Nov. 1, registration is in person at the clerk’s office; and registration in person on election day is allowed at polling sites. The clerk encouraged voters to return absentee ballots before election day to help staff processing.
Kessler also explained that third-party mailings with prefilled absentee applications or solicitations are sent by outside groups and not by the clerk’s office, and staff described steps they take to secure and monitor the absentee ballot drop box (video surveillance and internal procedures for checking and emptying the box). The clerk’s office said it will continue to communicate polling-place changes and urged voters to consult My Vote to confirm their polling location.
