Wisconsin

Welcome to the Wisconsin state page! Here, Wisconsin organizers can access and document ongoing projects, current leadership positions, upcoming races, and other important information. This list is non-exhaustive, and state teams are encouraged to expand and adapt these pages to their organizing needs.

To be eligible to vote you must be:

• A U.S. citizen
• 18 years or older on Election Day
• A resident of Wisconsin at least 28 days before the election
• Registered to vote or are registering on Election Day
• You are ineligible to vote in Wisconsin if you:

Ineligibility to vote:

• Have already voted in the election
• Are currently serving any portion of a felony sentence, including probation or supervision
• Have been ruled incapable of voting by a judge
• Have made or become interested, directly or indirectly, in any bet or wager depending upon the result of the election

Incarcerated Voters & Returning Citizens:

In Wisconsin, you are not eligible to vote if you have been convicted of a felony and you are currently serving any portion of your sentence (including extended supervision, probation, or parole). Once you successfully complete your sentence and are no longer under the supervision of the Department of Corrections, your voting rights are restored, and you regain your eligibility to vote. You must re-register to vote at that time.

If you are in jail serving a misdemeanor sentence or awaiting trial, you are still eligible to vote, usually by absentee ballot.

Voters without traditional residence:

When registering to vote, voters experiencing homelessness in Wisconsin may use a letter from a shelter or other organization providing services to the unhoused as proof of residence. Click here for more information and a sample letter from the Wisconsin Elections Commission about voting for unhoused persons.

To register to vote, you must show your state department of transportation issued driver's license or ID card number. If you have not been issued a state driver's license or ID, you must provide the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. Or, you may indicate that you have not been issued a state driver's license, ID, or Social Security number. Your registration cannot be processed until you provide this information.

You can now register to vote online! You will need a WI driver's license or ID in order to complete the online registration. If you do not have either form of ID you can either mail the registration papers or register to vote in person.

ID Requirements

You must provide proof of residence in order to establish your current address. The following are acceptable proof of residence (must contain your current and complete name, a current and complete residential address, including a numbered street address, and the name of a municipality):

• A current and valid Wisconsin driver's license
• A current and valid Wisconsin ID card
• Any other official identification card or license issued by a Wisconsin governmental body or unit
• Any ID card issued by an employer in the normal course of business and bearing a photo of the card holder, but not including a business card
• A real estate tax bill or receipt for the current year or the year preceding the date of the election
• A residential lease that is effective on day of registration (not valid for first time voters registering by mail)
• A university, college or technical institute fee statement within the last 9 months with a student ID
• A utility bill (gas, electric or telephone service) received within the past 90 days
• Bank or credit card statement
• Paycheck or paystub
• A check or other document issued by a unit of government
• An intake document from a residential care facility such as a nursing home or assisted living facility
• A letter on public or private social service agency letterhead identifying a homeless voter and describing the individual's residence for voting purposes

More proof of residence examples can be found here.

Absentee Voting

Absentee voting is available and no excuse is required. The last day to request an absentee ballot is 5 days before the election. Voted ballots must be received by Election Day in order to be counted. You can return your absentee ballot request form through mail, or in person at your local elections office. You will need an adult to witness your absentee ballot envelope in order to have your ballot counted. You can sign up to track your absentee ballot on your My Vote Wisconsin website. Absentee ballots start being counted on Election Day. Please contact the Wisconsin Election Commission for more information.

Who Can Request an Absentee Ballot?

Any qualified elector who registers to vote in Wisconsin is eligible to request an absentee ballot.

How to Request an Absentee Ballot

Online. You may request an absentee ballot online by visiting myvote.wi.gov and clicking “Vote Absentee”. This request must be made no later than 5pm on the Thursday before the election.

By Mail. Download the application, complete the form and mail it to your municipal clerk's office. The application must be received no later than 5pm on the Thursday before the election.

In Person. You may vote early in person – at the clerk’s office or another site designated by the clerk. Dates and hours for early voting may vary, though it can begin no earlier than 14 days before the election and ends no later than the Sunday before the election. Please contact your municipal clerk for absentee voting hours.

If you have not previously provided a copy of your photo ID, photo ID must accompany your application.

Deadline for Returning Your Absentee Ballot

Your complete absentee ballot must be delivered no later than 8pm on Election Day. The US Postal Service recommends you mail your absentee ballot one week before Election Day to ensure it arrives in time. You may hand-deliver you absentee ballot to your polling place by 8pm on Election Day.

Permanent Absentee Ballot

Voters who are indefinitely confined, meaning they have a difficult time getting to the polls due to age, illness, infirmity, or disability, may request that a ballot be automatically sent to them for each election. Indefinitely confined voters do not need to provide a photo ID with their absentee ballot request. Voters on the permanent absentee ballot list must vote in each election or they will be dropped from the absentee ballot rolls.

How to Vote in Person if Vote-by-Mail Ballot was Requested

Voters who requested an absentee ballot, but decide they want to vote in person may do so. Do not mail a ballot and vote in person. Registered voters may still vote early at their municipal clerk’s office OR in person at the polls on Election Day. Do not give your unused ballot to someone else.

What if you are in the hospital?

Each hospitalized voter can request a ballot (in writing), and the voter may appoint an agent to pick up the ballot from the hospitalized voter’s clerk’s office. If you know you will be in the hospital, request a regular absentee ballot in advance.

Early Voting

Early voting is available in the form of in-person absentee voting. Each city, village and town is responsible for setting the dates and hours of in-person absentee voting for their municipality, though it can begin no earlier than 14 days before the election and ends no later than the Sunday before the election.  To find the dates and hours for in-person absentee voting where you live.

Election Day

Polls are open from 7am-8pm.