>> LOOKING AHEAD, WE ARE JUST 11
DAYS AWAY FROM THE APRIL 7
SPRING ELECTION AS IT IS
CURRENTLY SCHEDULED, BUT THERE
ARE FOUR LAWSUITS IN THE FEDERAL
COURTS RIGHT NOW THAT COULD
SCRAMBLE THOSE PLANS, INCLUDING
ONE LAWSUIT SEEKING TO POSTPONE
THE ELECTION.
AND JUST TODAY, GOVERNOR TONY
EVERS ASKED REPUBLICANS IN THE
LEGISLATURE TO COME BACK INTO
SESSION AND PASS A LAW THAT
WOULD SEND ABSENTEE BALLOTS OUT
TO EVERY VOTER, ALTHOUGH THE
GOVERNOR STILL WANTS THE
ELECTION HELD ON APRIL 7.
"HERE AND NOW" SENIOR POLITICAL
REPORTER ZAC SCHULTZ IS HERE
WITH SOME INFORMATION ON ALL OF
THIS AND THANKS FOR JOINING US,
ZAC.
>> THANK YOU, FRED.
>> THE GOVERNOR WANTS PEOPLE TO
JUST GET IN A BALLOT IN THE MAIL
WITHOUT HAVING TO REQUEST ONE?
>> THAT'S THE IDEA HE PROPOSED
TODAY IN A VIDEO ON TWITTER,
THAT THE CLERK WOULD
AUTOMATICALLY MAIL OUT A BALLOT
TO EVERYONE.
THERE'S A LOT OF PROBLEMS IN
THAT IDEA.
SENATE MAJORITY LEADER
FITZGERALD SAID IT'S A COMPLETE
FANTASY TO THINK THAT WILL
HAPPEN.
JUST A WEEK AGO THE ELECTIONS
COMMISSION WAS WORRIED ABOUT
HAVING ENOUGH ENVELOPES TO SENDS
OUT THE REQUESTED ABSENTEE
BALLOTS.
>> SO THAT'S WHY IT'S A FANTASY,
BECAUSE IT'S A LOGISTICAL
NIGHTMARE?
>> 11 DAYS OUT, THERE'S ALREADY
BEEN HALF A MILLION BALLOT
REQUESTS AROUND THE STATE.
SO TO THINK THAT THERE'S ENOUGH
TIME TO PUT THIS TOGETHER, THE
CLERKS I'VE BEEN TALKING TO OVER
THE LAST WEEK WERE WORRIED ABOUT
PULLING IT OFF IN GENERAL.
I THINK I HAVE ENOUGH ENVELOPES
FOR WHAT I'M EXPECTING.
THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ENVELOPES
FOR EVERY VOTER ON THE ROLL AT
THIS POINT.
>> EVERS STOPPED SHORT OF
CALLING OFF VOTING ON APRIL 7.
>> HE DOES NOT HAVE THE LEGAL
AUTHORITY TO POSTPONE THIS
ELECTION ON HIS OWN.
IT'S ALREADY BEEN AGREED THAT HE
WOULD NEED THE LEGISLATURE TO
PASS A LAW THAT WOULD DO THAT.
THE ONLY WAY HE COULD TRY AND DO
THAT IS IF HE USED IT UNDER HIS
EMERGENCY POWERS THE SAME WAY
HE'S SHUTTING DOWN NONESSENTIAL
BUSINESSES OR CLOSING SCHOOLS.
BUT HE ISN'T READY TO TRY TO USE
THOSE POWERS TO POSTPONE THE
ELECTION.
>> ELECTED LEADERS WANT TO
PROCEED HE WITH IN-PERSON VOTING
ON APRIL 7.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
SOME PEOPLE ON THE ELECTIONS
COMMISSION SAY THEY'RE WORRIED
ABOUT SOME OF THE LOWER RACES ON
THIS BALLOT, FOR COUNTY BOARD,
CITY COUNSEL.
THERE'S SCHOOL BOARD REFERENDA
ON HERE THAT ARE WORTH MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS FOR SCHOOLS.
IF IT'S POSTPONED, WHEN WOULD
THAT HAPPEN?
WHEN WOULD COUNTIES BE ABLE TO
SEAT THEIR OFFICERS AND PASS
LOCAL LAWS?
NEVER MIND THE FACT THAT VOTE IS
ALREADY ONGOING.
THERE'S THE PARTISAN QUESTION HE
ABOUT WHO WOULD BE ADVANTAGED BY
DELAYING THIS ELECTION AND WHO
COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT
MOSTLY.
>> DOES GETTING BALLOTS IN THE
MAIL --
>> IF YOU'RE ISOLATING AND YOU
LIVE ALONE, HOW DO YOU GET
SOMEONE TO WITNESS?
THE WITNESS IS THERE TO SEE THE
STUFF THE BALLOT IN THE ENVELOPE
AND THEN YOU SIGN TO SAY THIS IS
MY BALLOT AND THEN YOU GIVE IT
TO THE WITNESS AND THEY SIGN AND
PUT THEIR ADDRESS DOWN SAYING I
WITNESSED THIS HAPPEN.
THE PROBLEM IS HOW DO YOU DO
THAT IF YOU'RE BY YOURSELF?
THE ELECTIONS COMMISSION SAYS
GET CREATIVE.
YOU CAN DO THIS THROUGH A GLASS
DOOR OR WINDOW.
YOU CAN DO IT VIA SKYPE AS LONG
AS LATER ON THE WITNESS COMES BY
AND VALIDATES.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THEY
WANT TO STRESS, BECAUSE PEOPLE
ARE VOTING ABSENTEE FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIERVETION
IS LIVES, IS
THE WITNESS HAS TO PUT THEIR
NAME AND ADDRESS ON THAT
ENVELOPE WHEN THEY RETURN IT OR
IT'S INVALID.
THE BALLOT HAS TO BE RETURNED
AND TO THE POLLING PLACE OR THE
CLERK'S OFFICE BY 8:00 ON
ELECTION NIGHT.
IF IT'S LATE OR IF IT'S IN THE
MAIL, IT DOESN'T COUNT.
THAT'S THE SUBJECT OF ANOTHER
FEDERAL LAWSUIT THAT'S GOING ON
RIGHT NOW.
BUT RIGHT NOW YOU CAN STILL
DRIVE YOUR ABSENTEE TO THE POLL
PLACE ON ELECTION DAY IF YOU
DON'T THINK THERE'S TIME FOR IT
TO GET THROUGH THE MAIL.
>> LOTS AND LOTS GOING ON.