Platteville council adopts ordinance to centralize absentee ballot processing

The City of Platteville Common Council voted to adopt Ordinance 25‑01 to establish a board of absentee ballot canvassers and a central count location at city hall for processing absentee ballots. City staff told the council that increasing numbers of absentee voters and in‑person absentee voting at city hall have disrupted polling places and that a central count will relieve individual poll workers and speed verification and tabulation.

City staff cited Wisconsin statutes 7.52 and 7.53 as authority for creating a canvass board appointed by the city clerk to serve two‑year terms to process absentee ballots at a central location. Staff said the change is expected to improve efficiency, reduce delays at polling locations, and enhance security by keeping absentee ballots at city hall rather than transporting them to polling sites. A Badger book server and a tabulator at the central location are anticipated; the staff stated the Badger book purchase would be covered in the city clerk's existing budgeted purchases.

A motion to approve Ordinance 25‑01 was recorded in the meeting as "Motion by Bob, second by Lynn." The council conducted a roll‑call style confirmation of members; the chair announced the motion carries. Council members who were present and named in the roll call voted in the affirmative during the recorded responses.