The results of the April 7 election will not be known until April 13, since absentee ballots that were postmarked by April 7 will still be counted if received by the 13th. Consequently election officials were barred from releasing the election day outcomes.

Michele Smith, Whitewater City Clerk, indicated to the Banner that there were a total of 1,870 ballots cast on election day, which includes over 1,200 absentee ballots out of the approximately 1,800 that were issued.

By comparison, for the 2016 Spring and Presidential Preference Election, a total of 4,553 ballots were cast, which included 516 absentees. Bear in mind that in that election there were two polling places, and a very large number of university students cast ballots at the UW-W polling place. Although some students are still residing locally, and a number of them voted together with some who are currently living elsewhere, the total student vote will certainly be dramatically reduced this time.

Whitewater citizens owe a debt of gratitude to the relatively small number of regular poll workers who felt they could serve under the circumstances, as well as to the city employees who agreed to fill in, together with the four National Guard members who assisted. A big thanks also to Michele Smith, who always puts in countless hours preparing for, overseeing, and reporting the results of our elections. However, the last minute twists and turns in the plans for this election combined with the efforts required to minimize health risks in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic made this election extraordinarily challenging. Finally, appreciation is expressed to Bill Smith, Michele’s husband, whom, she says, “always comes whenever I call,” dedicating many hours to each election, and that was particularly the case this time.