Absentee Voting Referred to as early voting
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. You must be a registered voter to request an absentee ballot and you must show acceptable photo ID before you can receive an absentee ballot. Please check your registration status at My Vote Wisconsin.
Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch made a great video on how to request an absentee ballot online, which can be found here ->
Use MY VOTE WISCONSIN to:
Request A Ballot
Register To Vote
Check Registration Status
Find Your Polling Location
See What's On Your Ballot
View Voting Activity
In-person Absentee Voting:
In-person absentee voting (also known as early voting) begins two weeks prior to the election (no weekends). You will need to show your photo ID. More information about photo ID can be found by going to www.bringit.wi.gov
In-person absentee voting hours and date vary by municipality. Municipalities may choose to start in-person absentee voting as soon as ballots become available. In-person absentee voting then ends at 5 p.m. or the close of business (whichever is later) on the Sunday before the election. Please check with your municipal clerk for regular office hours.
If you apply for an absentee ballot in your municipal clerk's office, you must vote immediately, seal your ballot in the proper envelope, and return it to a member of the clerk's staff. No ballots may be taken from the clerk's office.
Requesting an Absentee Ballot
Your application must be received by the clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday before the election in order for an absentee ballot to be SENT to you. You will also need to provide a copy of your acceptable photo ID with your request. If you have not previously provided a copy of photo ID, photo ID must accompany your first application by mail. If you are not already registered, you will need to register to vote before an absentee ballot can be sent to you. 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. More information on the exceptions to the photo ID law can be found at:
http://bringit.wi.gov/are-there-exceptions-new-law
Deadline for Returning Your Absentee Ballot
Your completed absentee ballot must be delivered to the municipal clerk no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Voter I.D. Law
Please note that Wisconsin Law requires photo ID to vote. You must submit a copy of your photo I.D. before an absentee ballot can be mailed to you. If you have not previously provided a copy of your photo I.D., a copy of your photo I.D. must accompany your absentee application. Absentee voters listed below are exempt from the photo I.D. requirement:
- Electors who are indefinitely confined
- Electors residing in care facilities served by a Special Voting Deputy
- Military, Permanent Overseas voters
