A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was sent to Milwaukee County on September 25, 2024, by The Sconi, a media organization committed to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs.
The request pertains to detailed information about the absentee ballots for the upcoming General Election scheduled for November 5, 2024. We at The Sconi are seeking access to public records under the Wisconsin Open Records Law, §19.31 et seq., preferably in an electronic format.
Our request includes specific details such as Voter ID, Registration Date, Age, Full Name including Middle Name and Suffix if any, Registration Status and Reason, County and Precinct of registration. Additionally, we have also requested for voter contact information including Address, City, State, Phone number and Email Address along with their Party Affiliation.
We have also asked for comprehensive information regarding the absentee ballot status. This includes Absentee Status, Ballot ID, Election Date for ballots sent out to voters. We are also seeking details about the type of ballot request (Absentee, Mail-In, Early Voting or Overseas), date of ballot request and send date as well as return date and final status of the ballot (Accepted or Rejected).
As a media organization involved in gathering and reporting news to the public, we believe that access to these public records is essential for us to fulfill our professional responsibilities. These include holding public institutions accountable and providing transparency to the public.
Given our role in disseminating information to the public domain through our news reports and articles we believe we are eligible for a fee waiver as a media professional under FOIA guidelines.
We await a positive response from Milwaukee County as we continue our commitment towards providing comprehensive coverage on local governmental affairs.
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