Appellate court halts Wisconsin ballot-counting extension

A federal appeals court on Sunday temporarily halted a six-day extension for counting absentee ballots in Wisconsin's presidential election, a momentary victory for Republicans and President Donald Trump in the key presidential battleground state.

The Democratic National Committee, the state Democratic Party and allied groups including the League of Women Voters sued to extend the deadline for counting absentee ballots after the April presidential primary saw long lines, fewer polling places, a shortage of workers and thousands of ballots mailed days after the election.

ADVERTISEMENT.U.S. District Judge William Conley ruled Sept. 21 that ballots that arrive up to six days after Election Day will count as long as they're postmarked by Election Day.

State election officials anticipate as many as 2 million people will cast absentee ballots to avoid catching the coronavirus at the polls.

The Republican National Committee, the state GOP and Wisconsin's Republican legislators argued that current absentee voting rules be left in place, saying people have plenty of time to obtain and return their ballots.

Conley in April had ruled that absentee ballots in the state's presidential election could be submitted up to six days after election day.

The 7th Circuit let that decision stand but the U.S. Supreme Court said only ballots postmarked on or before election day would count.

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