Published in Beloit Daily News, Letters to the Editor on April 27, 2020

"Thank you, City of Beloit for holding a Fair Election." 

The League of Women Voters of Beloit would like to thank Lori Luther, all the city workers, and especially City Clerk Lori Stottler and her group of poll workers who were so creative and adaptable throughout this changeable election.  They made it as easy as possible to cast a ballot. To make this possible, election officials had to address such questions as: Would an in-person election be held on April 7 or not?  How would the electorate and poll workers be kept safe?   When would the last day to request an absentee ballot stop changing? Everyone encouraged voting by mail, but in Beloit, voters could also go in person to City Hall for drive-up voting with an absentee ballot before the election up through the weekend before April 7. Voters in other parts of Wisconsin could only vote early via the mail. Beloit was very adaptable. 

Within just a few days, Beloit had begun planning to use all nine polling places, then downsized to five, and then finally to one at City Hall.  Then, because it was uncertain up until the evening of April 6 whether the election would be on April 7, or not, they had to be prepared either way. City workers had to plan for a variety of options, and then erect signs and lanes for the drive-up voting. Younger poll workers replaced many of the experienced but older, more vulnerable workers.  First-time workers needed to learn the process.  There were many problems with this election, but Beloit did a great job, in spite of all the challenges they had to overcome.  

 Susan Adams, Secretary