MILWAUKEE— In large part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people across Wisconsin are choosing to vote early either by mailing in absentee ballots or by voting in-person absentee before Nov. 3. It is a trend that is particularly apparent in the state’s most populous county, Milwaukee. 

According to the Wisconsin Elections Commission, more than 235,000 absentee ballots have been returned in the county, and an additional 55,112 people have voted early in person. As a county with around 542,000 registered voters, absentee ballots will make up a very substantial portion of total votes cast in the county. 

“We have over 304,000 absentee ballots that were issued. If all 304,000 come in, if you look at the 2016 election we only had 444,000 people vote. Right now we are already seeing a 60 to 70 percent of the voters that will vote on election day will be from absentee voting," says Milwaukee County election director Julietta Henry. 

In the city of Milwaukee and in seven other suburbs in the county, absentee ballots will be counted at a central counting site on election day rather than being counted at individual polling places. Poll workers can begin counting these absentee ballots at 7 a.m. on Nov. 3.

Unlike traditional, in-person, day of voting, where vote totals and results trickle in throughout election night ward by ward, the total results for the absentee ballots will be released all at once. 

While Henry says it is challenging to know an exact time when all absentee ballots will be counted, she predicts unofficial results will likely be ready to release sometime between 3 and 6 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4.