Wisconsin officials reported there have been seven new cases of COVID-19 allegedly contracted due to election-related activities, all of them in Milwaukee. 

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, six of the affected people were Milwaukee voters and one was a poll worker.

“As of today, we have identified seven individuals that contracted, or at least it appears, COVID-19 through election-related activities,” Jeanette Kowalik, the city’s health commissioner said.

According to the Journal Sentinel, officials are still investigating the origins of the new coronavirus cases reported in Milwaukee and are hoping to have new information soon. According to NPR, the Milwaukee Health Department hopes to have information about new election-related cases by Friday or next week. 

Wisconsin spring primary raises concerns, legal questions among local, state officials

According to NBC News, voters in Wisconsin waited in hour-long lines to cast ballots despite Gov. Evers’ Safer-At-Home order. Originally, Evers had postponed the election to June 9, but the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturned this ruling, allowing the April 7 election to take place.

“They’re telling us to stay in the house and 6 feet from each other, but then, during one of the most important times, they’re forcing us to come out here in a group,” one voter said according to NBC. “This is so wrong.”

Many voters applied for absentee ballots but they did not arrive in time, leaving their only option to vote in person. Election officials did confirm the implementation of social distancing procedures at each election site, according to NBC. 

UW research team analyzes travel, social media data to monitor COVID-19 spread

Public Health Madison and Dane County sent out an email saying as of yet, Dane County health officials have not seen a spike in election-related COVID-19 cases.

The email said this was likely due to the high number of polling places, the use of absentee ballots and the use of personal protective equipment.