Waukesha Times

Former President Donald Trump (R) launched a “Swamp the Vote” campaign last month, asking voters to vote early, absentee, by mail, or in person on Election Day.

“Republicans must win and we must use every available appropriate tool to beat the Democrats,” said Trump in a video announcing the “Swamp the Vote” effort. “Whether you vote early, absentee, by mail or in person, we must swamp the radical Democrats with massive turnout.”

Trump is facing President Joe Biden (D) in a rematch of the 2020 election in which neither candidate received more than 50% of the vote in Wisconsin. Biden received 49.6% of the vote to Trump's 48.9%.

That close margin makes Wisconsin a battleground state in 2024. Trump and Biden are tied in Wisconsin, according to an April poll released by the League of American Voters. 

The latest polling average by RealClearPolitics also has the two presidential candidates tied among Badger State voters. 

When it comes to absentee voting, Waukesha County saw 190,016 absentee votes cast in the 2020 General Election. That’s 70% of the total 270,155 votes cast in the county during that election. 

Statewide, there were 1,970,195 absentee votes cast in the 2020 General Election, which is 59.54% of the 3,308,966 votes cast.

In Wisconsin, every registered voter in the state can request an absentee ballot without having to provide a reason. Voters can vote absentee by mail or absentee in person, and can request a ballot online at myvote.wi.gov. 

Michael Watley, chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) wrote recently in a memo to RNC Members that “programs at the RNC focusing on early voting, ballot harvesting where legal, absentee ballot and mail in programs will continue to be enhanced.”

The former president, in his video announcing the “Swamp the Vote” campaign said, “you need to make a plan, register, and vote any way possible.”