WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — One local city is gearing up for a unique early voting event next week.
Early voting in Wisconsin begins next week on October 20th, 2 weeks before the national election on November 3rd. To accommodate an increased interest in early voting the City of Wausau will be holding a drive-thru voting event on Friday, October 23rd and Saturday, October 24th. Other Wisconsin cities such as Eau Claire and Milwaukee have held drive-thru voting events in the past but this will be the first time an early voting event of its kind has happened in Wausau.
City of Wausau Clerk Leslie Kramer walked some city staff, members of the safe elections task force, and poll workers through the planned route for the event. Kramer says the walkthrough went well and is confident in how the city will handle the event next weekend. If voters want to participate in the event, she says they have to have a few things ready when they drive to City Hall.
“You have to be a registered voter in the City of Wausau in order to take part in this opportunity that we’re offering. Please have your photo ID ready. If your not sure what qualifies call the Clerks Office beforehand or you can go online at myvote.wi.gov and look at some examples. I really encourage anyone who has questions to please reach out to our office beforehand so we can get those answered.”
Kremer explains the City hopes to be able to get drive-thru voters in and out between 15-20 minutes. Those participating will enter the voting route at 6th and McClellan and drive down McClellan to 4th Street to pull in behind City Hall to vote from their car.
The initial plan for the event was to hold it at Marathon Park and have people drive past the Ag Building. But Kremer explains due to election laws regarding the August primary the event had to be held at City Hall. “When I talked to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, this year because there was a partisan primary in August, the law said that you had to establish your voting places in June for August and also the November election.”
Kremer says the city expects a couple of hundred voters will come out for the drive-thru voting event over the course of the weekend. The drive-thru voting route will be open from 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday, October 23rd and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 24th.
