% OF HOW THINGS WORK.
% >> BASELESS CLAIMS OF ELECTION
% FRAUD IS ONE DRIVING FACTOR
% BEHIND CALLS TO REFORM THE
% ABSENTEE BALLOT SYSTEM.
% BUT THESE CHANGES COULD CREATE A
% CHILLING EFFECT FOR VOTERS WITH
% DISABILITIES.
% MARISA WOJCIK BRINGS THIS STORY
% FROM MILWAUKEE.
% >> I TYPICALLY VOTE IN EVERY
% ELECTION.%>> WILLIAM CROWLEY
IS A
% DEDICATED VOTER.
% >> FROM NATIONAL, FEDERAL,
% PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESS RACES
% DOWN TO STATE AND LOCAL
% GOVERNMENT RACES.
% >> FOR HIM AND THOUSANDS OF
% OTHER WISCONSINITES WITH
% DISABILITIES, THE OPTION OF
% VOTING ABSENTEE IS PARAMOUNT TO
% FULFILLING THIS CONSTITUTIONAL
% RIGHT.%>> I'VE DONE A MIX OF
VOTING
% STYLES.
% SINCE COVID, IT'S BEEN ABSENTEE
% BY MAIL, JUST TRYING TO AVOID
% LARGE CROWDS OF PEOPLE STANDING
% IN LINE.
% AND I HAVE PRE-EXISTING
% CONDITIONS WHERE THE VIRUS WOULD
% HAVE BEEN MORE BURDENSOME FOR
% ME.%>> BUT CONFIDENCE IN FUL
FILLING
% THAT RIGHT HAS BEEN ERODED
% RECENTLY, WITH INVESTIGATIONS,
% COURT CASES, AND DIRECT
% CHALLENGES TO VOTERS WHO CAST AN
% ABSENTEE BALLOT.
% >> THERE'S BEEN QUESTIONS THIS
% YEAR ABOUT VOTING ABSENTEE AFTER
% THE TEIGAN LOWER COURT DECISION
% CAME OUT.
% >> IN TEIGAN VERSUS THE
% WISCONSIN ELECTIONS COMMISSION,
% A WAUKESHA COUNTY JUDGE RULED IN
% JANUARY THAT SOMEONE CANNOT HAVE
% ANYONE ELSE TURN IN THEIR
% ABSENTEE BALLOT FOR THEM,
% CALLING IT BALLOT HARVESTING.
% FOR CROWLEY, THAT CREATED A
% DIRECT BARRIER.
% >> I'M A QUADRIPLEGIC WITH A
% SPINAL CORD INJURY.
% DUE TO MY SPINAL CORD INJURY, I
% HAVE LIMITED UPPER BODY MOVEMENT
% AND STRENGTH.
% IF I WERE TO GO TO A POST OFFICE
% MAILBOX, I'M UNABLE TO OPEN IT
% AND THROW AN ENVELOPE IN ON MY
% OWN, SO I'M LIMITED IN THAT WAY
% WHEN IT COMES TO MAILING MY
% VOTE.%>> BECAUSE OF THAT COU
RT RULING,
% INSTEAD OF VOTING ABSENTEE IN
% APRIL, HE WENT TO THE POLLS, AND
% THEN FACED ANOTHER BARRIER.
% >> TO GET AROUND, I USE AN
% ELECTRIC WHEELCHAIR.
% I WENT TO THE POLLING PLACE, AND
% ACTUALLY THE ELEVATOR IN THE
% BUILDING THAT WOULD GET ME TO
% THE ACTUAL ROOM THAT THE VOTING
% IS HAPPENING IN WAS OUT OF
% ORDER.
% AND SO I COULDN'T GET UP TO THAT
% ROOM.%>> FEDERAL ELECTION LA
W SAYS ANY
% VOTER WHO REQUIRES ASSISTANCE TO
% VOTE BY REASON OF BLINDNESS,
% DISABILITY, OR INABILITY TO READ
% OR WRITE MAY BE GIVEN ASSISTANCE
% BY A PERSON OF THE VOTER'S
% CHOICE.
% WISCONSIN STATE LAW SAYS THAT
% FOR DISABLED VOTERS, WHEN
% ASSISTANCE IS REQUESTED, THE
% ELECTOR MAY SELECT ANY
% INDIVIDUAL TO ASSIST IN CASTING
% HIS OR HER VOTE.
% BUT WHEN THE WISCONSIN SUPREME
% COURT TOOK UP THE TEIGAN CASE,
% THEY AGREED THAT DROPBOXES AND
% BALLOT HARVESTING ARE ILLEGAL.
% BUT THEY DID NOT ADDRESS
% PROTECTIONS FOR DISABLED VOTERS
% GETTING ASSISTANCE HANDING IN
% THEIR BALLOT.
% SAYING, WE DO NOT DECIDE AT THIS
% TIME WHETHER THE LAW PERMITS A
% VOTER'S AGENT TO PLACE AN
% ABSENTEE BALLOT IN THE MAIL ON
% THE VOTER'S BEHALF.
% AND BECAUSE OF THIS LEGAL GRAY
% AREA, A CHALLENGE HAS ALREADY
% BEEN FILED BY FOUR PEOPLE WITH
% DISABILITIES, ASKING A FEDERAL
% JUDGE TO DECLARE THAT THEY CAN
% GET HELP TURNING IN BALLOTS.
% EVEN WITH FEDERAL PROTECTION,
% THERE'S A LINGERING FEAR THAT
% HIS BALLOT COULD BE CHALLENGED
% BY PEOPLE CLAIMING FRAUD
% OCCURRED.%>> THAT IS A CONCE
RN THAT I
% HAVE, THAT SOMEBODY WOULD TRY TO
% CHALLENGE EITHER MY VOTE OR
% SOMEONE ELSE WITH A DISABILITY
% THAT HAS ASSISTANCE MAILING
% THEIR BALLOT JUST BECAUSE VOTING
% HAS BECOME SUCH A CONTENTIOUS
% ISSUE.%>> CROWLEY WANTS VOTER
S WITH
% DISABILITIES TO KNOW THESE
% RIGHTS, AND TO NOT GET
% DISCOURAGED.%>> THESE ARE BIG
ELECTIONS
% COMING UP, AND EVERYONE WHO
% WANTS TO MAKE THEIR CHOICE HEARD
% SHOULD VOTE, AND THAT ABSOLUTELY
% INCLUDES PEOPLE WITH
% DISABILITIES.
% >> FOR "HERE AND NOW," I'M
% MARISA WOJCIK REPORTING FROM