We won’t learn the results of next Tuesday’s races until nearly a week after the election is held.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge William Conley ordered clerks not to release election results until April 13. That’s the last day they’re able to receive absentee ballots under a court decision made Thursday.
It’s the latest change in the mechanics of the election due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Clerks generally report unofficial results on election nights, and the winners of most races are known within a few hours.
But more than one million Wisconsinites, attempting to avoid polling places, have requested absentee ballots for next week’s election.
On Thursday, Conley allowed absentee ballots to be received and counted until April 13, six days after election day. Usually, absentee ballots need to be received by election day.
Then, on Friday, Conley ordered clerks not to report results until April 13.
