Republican leaders flip on early voting, but UW-L’s Chergosky believes shift will be a challenge

Republicans are now urging party members to vote early, without calling it vote early, in the next presidential race, instead of waiting until Election Day.

That’s a change from the party’s usual stand, which has regarded early voting as being susceptible to fraud.

UW-La Crosse political scientist Dr. Anthony Chergosky told WIZM’s La Crosse Talk that it may be hard for the GOP to persuade voters to support “banking” votes.

“That is quite a challenge, because Republicans have been informed by their party leaders, most notably Donald Trump, that early voting is bad, that there are problems with early voting,” Chergosky said. “Republicans are trying to make that pivot. It’s going to be tough.”

Chergosky added that the latest polling shows a neck-and-neck race next year between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

Some experts suggest that Wisconsin could be among a handful of states that may decide the election.

Chergosky notes that there’s “every indication that the 2024 presidential election would be highly competitive. In fact, most political prognosticators think that the election is gonna come down to six states.”

Chergosky said voters don’t seem to believe the argument made by some top Wisconsin Republicans that nominating Trump again would lead to a second term for Joe Biden.