Hold on absentee ballot counting changes extended

This afternoon the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals extended the stay on implementing new absentee ballot rules. Last week US District Judge William Conley issued a decision to extend the time to return absentee ballots in the Nov. 3 election, among other changes. The previous ruling included a 7-day stay in implementing the changes because the judge thought it likely the ruling would be appealed. That extension would have expired on Monday, and today's new extension keeps the 7-day stay in place until the appeals court can make a final decision. 

This still leaves the state of counting absentee ballots in the Nov. 3 election in limbo, but perhaps more seriously it is still not certain what the cutoff date for requesting an absentee ballot is. The law requires that the ballots be ordered by Oct. 14, but the ruling last week extended that date until Oct. 21. Many voters are already somewhat confused about the process of absentee voting, and the moving deadlines continue to add to the confusion. It would be best if you are absentee voting to assume that the dates will not be changing, and that absentee ballots must be requested by Oct. 14 and returned so that they arrive by Nov. 3.