Voting & Elections Toolkits

Deadline

• Voter registration deadlines are 20 days before the date of the election.
• March 19, 2020 is the registration deadline for the April 7, 2020 primary election
• October 15, 2020 is the deadline for online and mail-in registration for the general election.
• In person registration can be done up to the Friday before an election at the Municipal Clerk’s office
• Guidelines: https://elections.wi.gov/sites/elections.wi.gov/files/2019-01/25%20Voter%20Registration_0.pdf
• Election Calendar: https://bringit.wi.gov/upcoming-elections
• Wisconsin allows in person registration on the day of an Election, you must bring proof of residence

Online registration

To register online, the voter must enter a name, date of birth, Driver License or ID number, and an address that matches what is on file with the Wisconsin DMV. If all of the fields match, the voter will be able to register to vote completely online without needing to print, sign or mail the form and without needing to send a proof of residence document. Voters who are not able to match their information with the information in the DMV database will be given the option to register by mail.

Online registration site: 

https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/RegisterToVote (English)

https://myvote.wi.gov/es-es/RegisterToVote (Spanish)

Mail-in registration

You can start your voter registration form online at http://myvote.wi.gov. Your form must be printed, signed and mailed, or delivered to your municipal clerk.You must always provide a Proof of Residence document when registering. If you are registering by mail, you can use any of the forms of Proof of Residence except a residential lease.

https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/RegisterToVote (English)

https://myvote.wi.gov/es-es/RegisterToVote (Spanish)

Choosing a political party:   

Wisconsin does not register voters by political party.

Updating registration      

To update registration after a move, name change, or change of political party affiliation, use the online tool https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/UpdateMyNameorAddress

Cancelling registration

Wisconsin voters do not need to cancel voter registration when moving, but may cancel by sending a form to their Municipal Clerk

https://elections.wi.gov/sites/elections.wi.gov/files/gab_forms/4/el_139_reg_cancel_new_wi_res_2016_08_pdf_56497.pdf

Directory of County and Municipal Clerks: https://elections.wi.gov/clerks/directory

ID Requirements for Voting

All Voters

    All Wisconsin Voters MUST present picture ID with a few specific exceptions

• Confidential electors are always exempt from Photo ID requirements. Confidential electors have applied for this status with their municipal clerk, and have presented a court order, a letter from law enforcement, a letter from the staff of a domestic abuse shelter, or the staff of an agency assisting victims of domestic abuse
• Active Military and Permanent Overseas voters are not required to provide a Photo ID when they vote by absentee ballot, but if they vote in-person, they must present Photo ID
• Indefinitely confined voters, if a voter has a hard time getting to the polls on Election Day due to age, illness, infirmity, or disability they can request a ballot be sent to them.  Indefinitely confined voters do not need to show a Photo ID when voting by absentee ballot. If they vote in person, they must present a Photo ID. 
• Voters in special care facilities can provide a witness signature on their absentee ballot certificate envelope in substitute for showing Photo ID; if they vote in-person, they must present a Photo ID

More information: https://bringit.wi.gov

Where to get an ID

Division of Motor Vehicles

• Locations: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/online-srvcs/find-dmv/default.aspx

Obtaining a Driver’s License

• More Information: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/dmv/license-drvs/how-to-apply/get-lic.aspx
• Obtaining a non-driver photo ID: https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/dmv/license-drvs/how-to-apply/id-card.aspx

Absentee voting

Opening/closing dates

• Absentee ballots will be mailed out in advance of the election
• Your completed absentee ballot must be delivered no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day.  The U.S. Postal Service recommends absentee ballots be mailed one week before Election Day to arrive in time.

Military voters and voters who reside outside the U.S.

• Military electors can choose to receive their absentee ballot by mail, email, or fax. You may not return your voted ballot electronically.
• Starting on September 20, 2012, military electors can access their absentee ballots online at My Vote WI: myvote.wi.gov
• The absentee ballot must be received no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day.  The U.S. Postal Service recommends absentee ballots be mailed one week before Election Day to arrive on time. https://elections.wi.gov/voters/military

Who is eligible to use an absentee ballot?

Any qualified elector (U.S. citizen, 18 years of age, who has resided in the district in which he or she intends to vote for at least 10 days) who registers to vote is eligible to request an absentee ballot.  Under Wisconsin law, voters do not need a reason or excuse, such as being out of town on Election Day, to vote absentee. Any voter who prefers to vote by absentee ballot may request one. You have several options for requesting an absentee ballot and casting your vote. 

Application for Absentee Ballot: 

https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/VoteAbsentee (English)

https://myvote.wi.gov/es-es/VoteAbsentee (Spanish)

Polling places and hours

• Use the Polling Place Locator to find your polling place: https://gettothepolls.com/
• For a general election or primary, polls in Wisconsin are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Check with the County or Municipal Clerk regarding voting hours for referenda.
• Time off to vote: Any person entitled to vote at an election is entitled to be absent from work while the polls are open for a period not to exceed 3 successive hours to vote. The elector shall notify the affected employer before election day of the intended absence.

Rides to the polls

Many organizations offer free rides to polling places. Some of these include:

• Lyft (www.lyft.com) provides free or discounted rides in some underserved communities
• Political parties sometimes arrange rides for voters. Contact the local office:
  • Republican Party: https://www.wisgop.org/
  • Democratic Party: https://wisdems.org/

Help for disabled voters

• Disability Rights Wisconsin (http://www.disabilityrightswi.org/resources/voting-rights/) operates the Protection and Advocacy for Voting Access (PAVA) program.
• If you have difficulty getting to the polling place and would like to receive an absentee ballot for each election, you can become a permanent absentee voter.  You need to certify on the application that you are “indefinitely confined,” meaning that for reason of age, illness, infirmity or disability you are requesting a ballot for all subsequent elections.   Once you are on the permanent absentee list you will stay there until you are no longer confined or you fail to return a ballot.

Ballots

Sample ballots

• All Elections: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/PreviewMyBallots

Who are the candidates, and what else is on the ballot?

• Sample ballots: https://elections.wi.gov/voters/sample-ballot

Important Dates

Election Day is November 3, 2020

Dates of Wisconsin elections can be found on the State Elections website: https://elections.wi.gov/elections-voting/elections

Who conducts elections?

• The Wisconsin Election Commission oversees statewide and local elections
• Municipal and County maintains voter rolls, prepare ballots and administer balloting for each municipality https://elections.wi.gov/index.php/clerks

Voter Bill of Rights

Wisconsin does not currently have a voter bill of rights

Where to go with complaints about candidates or how elections are conducted

“You have the right to file a formal complaint with the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board requesting the enforcement of the election and campaign finance laws. This process is governed by Wisconsin Administrative Code,”  Chapter GAB-20(https://elections.wi.gov/sites/default/files/publication/70/gab020_pdf_13121.pdf)

https://elections.wi.gov/elections-voting/complaints/file

Campaign finance

Wisconsin Campaign Finance Information System (https://cfis.wi.gov/#) provides access to candidates’ election committee and Political Action Committee campaign finance filings.

How to contact your elected officials:

Find your elected officials: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-US/MyElectedOfficials