Wisconsin voters had returned 513,602 absentee ballots as of Tuesday, seven days before the Nov. 3 election, according to Wisconsin Elections Commission data. That is 10,422 more than at the same point in 2022, an increase of 2.1%, and the first time this fall the statewide total has run ahead of 2022.
In-person voting is driving the change. Voters have cast 251,092 in-person absentee ballots, up 56.9% from this point in 2022, and in-person ballots now make up 48.9% of all returns. Ballots returned by mail, drop box or delivery are down 23.5% from 2022, trailing in all 72 counties.
Racine County had returned 18,146 ballots, up 2,158, or 13.5%, from 2022. Waukesha County posted the largest raw gain in the state and Washington County the largest percentage gain, while Milwaukee and Dane counties still trail their 2022 returns despite big increases in in-person voting.
Elections analyst Joe Handrick cautioned that the early numbers are not predictive. Wisconsin does not register voters by party, so the returns do not show which side the early voters support, and counties that trail now can still turn out heavily on Election Day.
In-person absentee voting ran through Sunday, Nov. 1, in some municipalities, with local hours varying. Absentee ballots must reach the voter's clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.
