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 FULFILLING
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 COURT 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 LAW 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 CONCERN 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 VOTERS 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