WATCH: GOP bill to allow Monday absentee ballot processing has big strings attached

By UpNorthNews Staff

October 21, 2025

For the moment, it looks like Wisconsin Republicans will keep blocking efforts to process absentee ballots the day before Election Day, a process that would speed up counting and reduce the incidence of late-night election results. GOP lawmakers announced they will soon be introducing a bill that allows for Monday processing, but with several strings attached that would likely lead to a veto from Gov. Tony Evers.

Wisconsin is one of only four states that does not allow for Monday processing of absentee ballots, where the information on the envelopes is checked and verified and the ballots can be prepared to feed into counting machines on Election Day. Republicans say their bill would allow for Monday processing, but it would also require 24-hour webcams pointed at absentee ballot drop boxes and streamed on municipal websites — and the transferring of ballots from drop boxes would have to include a law enforcement officer.

There have never been irregularities at drop boxes that would suggest webcams and officers are needed. Democrats called on Republicans to put forward a clean bill focused only on allowing Monday processing.