As new GOP platform calls for same day voting, party leaders encourage early voting

 

WAUKESHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Republican leaders called on conservatives to take advantage of absentee voting at a rally Monday, just hours after a committee tasked with drafting the GOP's official 2024 platform vowed to end the practice.

Both national and local party officials were at the state party's Waukesha office for the rally, where the theme was "protect the vote." Speakers called on conservatives to sign up as poll watchers and to monitor drop boxes following Friday's state Supreme Court ruling striking down a 2022 ban on their use. 

Another consistent message from speakers, including Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Michael Whatley and Co-chair Lara Trump, was Republican voters should make use of all voting options currently at their disposal, including absentee ballots.

"If you can vote early, vote early," Waukesha County Chairman Paul Farrow said.

At that point, a woman in the audience shouted, "And often." Farrow smiled, then replied. "Not often. We're not Illinois."

Farrow's message was in stark contrast to the official party platform advanced by the RNC Platform Commitee Monday. The 16-page document listed 20 promises Republicans would "accomplish very quickly" should former President Donald Trump return to the White House.

The 19th promise on the list vowed to "secure our elections, including same day voting, voter identification, paper ballots, and proof of citizenship."

Whatley did not offer a direct answer when asked if he personally supported the idea of only allowing same day voting for the general public.

"I mean, look, that's the plan right now. It's aspirational," Whatley said. "What we want to do right now, for this election cycle, is work within the laws in all 50 states and make sure we deliver a resounding vote for President Trump."

Lara Trump said she's heard from many supporters who question why voters have so much time to cast ballots. In Wisconsin, in-person absentee voting begins two weeks before an election date with hours set by municipal clerks. Mail-in ballots must be received by the time polls close on Election Day.

"We could get back to a day of, as I [mentioned during the rally], of one day of voting, voter ID, paper ballots," she said. "If that's something the country wants, we could see a day like that again. Right now, we're gonna have to play the hand that we're dealt."

Whatley said the RNC was still weighing whether to file a federal lawsuit challenging the Wisconsin Supreme Court's drop box ruling. In the Friday decision, a 4-3 liberal majority overturned a 2022 ruling that banned drop boxes; at that time, the court had a 4-3 conservative majority.

State party chairman Brian Schimming said he would wait to see guidance from the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) on how clerks will implement drop boxes before deciding whether to encourage Wisconsin voters to use them. Schimming had previously said he would encourage their use should the state Supreme Court overturn the ban.

"The truth of the matter is we'll deal with the law as it is. We'll see if there's an appeal option," he said. "If there's not, we're gonna deal with the law as it is because we're here to win this election."

Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell said voters should feel confident absentee voting is secure in Wisconsin. As evidence, he pointed to a statewide recount following the 2016 presidential election and a 2020 recount in Dane and Milwaukee counties that showed little change in the final tally.

"We had a recount in Dane County twice, two different presidential recounts. The vote totals didn't change, same in Milwaukee, same statewide," McDonell said. 

Regarding drop boxes, McDonell cited how mail sent in Madison once stayed in the capital city. Now, it goes to Milwaukee before returning to Madison. He said drop boxes, which small and mid-size towns have long used as the same box where residents could drop off utility bill payments, often have a tighter chain of custody than ballots sent by mail.

"The mail isn't what is used to be, and I think the drop boxes, which in most cases are far more secure than the U.S. Mail, to be honest, it's really gonna be beneficial in August and especially November," McDonell said.

When asked if she felt observers should also watch mailboxes to provide peace of mind, Lara Trump said she did not think that would be necessary. 

"I think that's a little bit too far," she said. "I think we want common sense."

The full RNC delegation will vote next week on whether to approve the platform advanced Monday.