Nov. 3, 2020 2:30p
(WGTD)---The Kenosha Municipal Building had an all-hands-on-deck look Tuesday morning as employees opened and logged thousands of absentee ballots.
The building was closed to all but election activity. Hallways and offices on all three floors were filled to varying degrees with election workers.
Each floor had recently-purchased high-speed counting machines and were put to immediate use as the processed ballots started to pile up.
Some 30,000 early votes were cast in the city, translating to about 56% of Kenosha's registered voters.
The large number of early voters did not completely eliminate lines at Tuesday's polls.
In both Racine and Kenosha, lines formed early on, then the numbers shrunk to steady trickles, based on checks of several polling places. Business picked up during the late afternoon hours and lines formed again.
Security and extra poll workers appeared to be present.
At Kenosha's Municipal Building, a doorman greeted visitors. A uniformed police officer manned a table just inside the door. Visitors who were there to observe or perform other election-related business had to sign in and wear a badge.
The Municipal Building was one of four central counting locations in Kenosha County. The other were located in Salem Lakes, Pleasant Prairie and Somers.
Pre-election day ballots are counted in other areas at individual polling locations.
Wisconsin is among those states that prohibits election workers from processing absentee ballots before election day.
Election coverage on WGTD FM will begin at 6, with a blend of programming from Wisconsin Public Radio and NPR.
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