GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Wisconsin voters will be back at the polls in just 47 days for the partisan primary election and Green Bay believes it has enough locations lined up for people to vote at in person.
The City of Green Bay has been preparing for the August and November elections since the last election on April 7th. The goal is avoiding a repeat of that election when the city only used two polling locations, leading to voters waiting up to four hours in line.
2,658 people, or about 18 percent of ballots cast by Green Bay voters in April, were filled out in person on Election Day. The city says 63 percent voted in person on Election Day for the November 2016 presidential election, but that is expected to be much lower this year considering the push to vote absentee amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In just its first batch, Green Bay is mailing out more than 10,500 absentee ballots on Thursday for people who’ve already requested them for August. That’s already more than the 9,056 total ballots cast in the August election four years ago.
The City of Green Bay has 17 polling locations lined up for the August election. Green Bay City Clerk Kris Teske tells FOX 11 that’s15 more than April, but only a little more than half of the 31 locations it normally has.
“We’ve been working since the April election on figuring out what we can do to avoid long lines with the resources that we have.”
Uncertainty with the coronavirus in April prevented most poll workers and polling locations from participating in that election, leading to the decision to make Green Bay East and West High Schools the only in-person polling places.
13 traditional locations have agreed to come back for the August and November elections: UWGB, Christ of the Bay Lutheran Church, Atonement Lutheran Church, St. Bernard Parish, Central Assembly of God Church, Green Bay Metro Transit Center, Curative Connections, Green Bay Labor Temple, Neighborworks, Redeemer Lutheran Church, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, and Bridge Point Church.
The four new poll locations are Danz and Keller Elementary Schools, the Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary, and the former Sears store on Military Avenue.
Sears may not be available for the November election, which is concerning because in August it is planned to host 11 of the city’s 47 voting wards.
FOX 11 asked Teske whether she feels confident the city will be able to pull off the August and November elections with the number of locations it currently has.
“I’m sure that we will get there that we will be able to have the August election with the polling locations, yes. November, there will be more work for November because we aren’t sure if we have Sears for November.”
The city council will vote on a resolution supporting the plan for 17 poll locations on Monday.
Green Bay residents who will be voting at a new location in August will be receiving a letter in the mail letting them know of the new location.
Of greater concern than poll locations may be the number of poll workers. Teske says the city normally has about 280. In April, there were only about 20 paid poll workers, although some volunteers helped out.
Teske’s goal is to have 380 poll workers for August and November. Right now, 139 are committed for August. 141 for November.
“We’re still recruiting. The ad hoc group is contacting all different organizations and a lot of it too is word of mouth.”
Teske says the state’s elections commission has advised clerks to recruit as though the National Guard won’t be available to help out like it did in April, something the city did not utilize because of training concerns.
“It feels like we’re all pulling in the same direction and where we’re not, a few of us are lighting matches under people,” said Chris Wery, a member of the city council.
Wery was the city council’s loudest critic of the decisions made for the April 7th election. He tells FOX 11 Green Bay is better positioned for the upcoming elections, but worries more poll workers are needed.
“We have seen some cities do offer an incentive, kind of a hazard pay. There is a pandemic going on. If we do offer something like that on top of the $140, maybe that will help tip the scales for some people.”
Chief inspector poll workers are paid $175 for the day, which is typically 15 hours of work. The city gives all poll workers $4 for lunch.
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