1.040 Central Count.

(1) Adoption of Wisconsin State Statute Section 7.52. Wis. Stat. § 7.52 is hereby adopted, in its entirety by reference, as amended or renumbered from time to time, including but not limited to the specific provisions set forth in detail under subsection (2) of this section.

(2) Municipal Board of Absentee Canvassers/Procedures.

(a) Central Canvassing of Absentee Ballots. Pursuant to Wis. Stat. §§ 7.52 and 7.53(2m), the Mayor and Common Council of the City of Manitowoc hereby create a Municipal Board of Absentee Canvassers and authorize the centralized counting of absentee ballots on election days, in accordance with all procedures prescribed by Wis. Stat. § 7.52.

(b) The Municipal Board of Absentee Canvassers shall be composed of the Municipal Clerk, or a qualified elector of the municipality designated by the Clerk, and two other qualified electors of the municipality appointed by the Clerk for a term of two years commencing on January 1st of each even-numbered year. The Clerk may appoint additional inspectors under Wis. Stat. § 7.52(1)(b) to assist the Municipal Board of Absentee Canvassers in canvassing absentee ballots under this section.

(c) The City of Manitowoc declares that, in lieu of canvassing absentee ballots at polling places under Wis. Stat. § 6.88, the Municipal Board of Absentee Canvassers shall canvass all absentee ballots at all elections held in the municipality, at Manitowoc City Hall, 900 Quay Street, Manitowoc, WI 54220, or such other location designated by the Clerk and set forth in the notice of meeting under subsection (2)(d) of this section.

(d) At every election held in the City of Manitowoc following enactment of the ordinance codified in this section, the Municipal Board of Absentee Canvassers shall, any time after the opening of the polls and before 10:00 p.m. on election day, publicly convene to count the absentee ballots for the City.

(3) The Municipal Clerk shall give at least 48 hours’ notice of any meeting of the Municipal Board of Absentee Canvassers under Wis. Stat § 7.52(1)(a).

(4) The Municipal Clerk, no later than the closing hour of the polls, shall post at his or her office and on the City’s website, and shall make available to any person upon request, a statement of the number of absentee ballots that the Clerk has mailed or transmitted to electors and those ballots that have been returned by the closing hour on election day. This posting shall not include the names or addresses of any electors.

(5) The Municipal Board of Absentee Ballot Canvassers shall follow the remaining procedures prescribed under Wis. Stat. § 7.52.

[Ord. 20-033 § 1, 2020.]