The approaching gubernatorial race in Wisconsin is arguably the biggest election in that state in more than a decade.  It is certainly the highest profile recall election in the United States since California recalled a sitting Governor.  Politico calls the race Armageddon. 

However, many overseas and military voters will be effectively disenfranchised from participating due to a failure of election officials to plan for the short span of time between the recall primary and the recall general election.  It also involves a questionable interpretation of how state law and the Wisconsin constitution interact together on the schedule of the recall election.  The bottom line is that it appears overseas military voters will be given only 2 weeks to receive and return their ballots to be counted.  With the warp speed in which the postal system works, good luck with that.

…Dane County Deputy Clerk Judy Nowak told the WisconsinReporter that “It’s a two-week window of opportunity” to vote absentee.

The WisconsinReporter more specifically lays out the problem:

State law requires that absentee ballots be available 21 days before an election. By the calendar, absentee ballots, then, should be available Monday for the June 5 recall elections involving Gov. Scott Walker, Lt Gov Rebecca Kleefisch and four GOP state senators.  But in reality, absentee ballots for the recalls won’t be available until at least May 18, after the GAB, which oversees the state’s elections, certifies the results from Tuesday’s primaries.  The GAB plans to certify Tuesday’s recall primaries at 5 p.m. May 17, allowing the required time for local canvassing boards to tally all the votes, including late-arriving absentee ballots and provisional ballots, and allowing for a three-day period during which candidates may request a recount.