Wisconsin’s election managers were unprepared for the first day of early, in-person voting in the state.
Wisconsin Elections Commission chairwoman Ann Jacobs took to Twitter Tuesday afternoon to explain why the state’s My Vote system developed a lag only hours after the polls opened.
“We apologize for underestimating the incredible enthusiasm you all have for voting. This is unheard of turnout for the first day of in-person absentee voting!! All is well in our WisVote system and you should be able to vote without a problem,” Jacobs wrote.
Reports are that more than 97,000 people cast a ballot on Wisconsin’s first day of in-person voting on Tuesday.
Jacobs said that simply overwhelmed local clerks, and the state’s computers.
“So many of you voted that you overloaded our computer systems! Amazing! We worked with Dept. of Enterprise Technology and have created more server space so all should be running smoothly now,” she wrote on Twitter during Tuesday lag.
The Elections Commission offered a similar explanation, but again didn’t offer any specifics.
“Due to higher than expected turnout for the first day of in-person absentee voting, the WisVote system that some clerks use experienced a period of slowness that has now been resolved. Clerks use WisVote to print a label that can be placed on the outside of in-person absentee certificate envelopes,” WEC said in a statement. “Today’s system lag was purely related to demands on the WisVote system due to high turnout. This should not prevent any voter’s ability to vote in-person absentee today. WEC staff worked quickly to increase system capacity to ensure that clerks can continue to facilitate in-person absentee voting efficiently.”
No one, however, is offering an explanation as to how WEC ran out of server capacity, or whether there will be enough capacity for Election Day when millions of people are expected to cast their ballots.
Lots of communities reported long lines for early voting on Tuesday, and many communities reported the same on Wednesday.
People can cast their early ballots through next Friday. After November 1st, voters will have to wait until Election Day to vote.
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