Here's what to know about getting, returning an absentee ballot in Wisconsin
(This story was updated to add new information.)
If you're a Wisconsin voter looking to request an absentee ballot for the Nov. 5 election, you can do so online at myvote.wi.gov.
You can also fill out a form requesting an absentee ballot and mail or email it to your local clerk. You can check your local clerk's website for additional details.
Voters can request an absentee ballot for any reason in Wisconsin. Since it's after Sept. 19, if you make a request, clerks must fulfill it within 24 to 48 business hours. You can also track the status of your absentee ballot online.
The last day for most voters to request an absentee ballot, however, isOct. 31 at 5 p.m. Your clerk must receive your request by that time.
The deadline for indefinitely confined, military and hospitalized voters to make an absentee ballot request is slightly longer. More information is available here for those voters.
Do you need a voter ID to request an absentee ballot?
Yes. If you're filling out a request for an absentee ballot, including online at myvote.wi.gov, you'll be asked to provide or upload a copy of your photo ID. That could mean taking a photo of your driver's license, for example. In Wisconsin, acceptable photo IDs include:
A Wisconsin driver's license
A state ID card
A military ID card
A U.S. passport
Tribal ID
A college-issued ID card, if it has the date it was issued, signature of student, and expiration date no later than two years after date of issuance. Some campuses issue separate ID cards that qualify.
What is a witness for absentee ballots?
While you're filling out your ballot, you'll need to be in the presence of a witness who can verify that you filled out your own ballot. Your witness must be a U.S. citizen who is at least 18 years old, and not a candidate on the ballot. It can be a friend, spouse or neighbor, for example.
Make sure both you and your witness fill out required sections on the return envelope, including both of your signatures and the witness' address.
What's the last day to return an absentee ballot in Wisconsin?
Clerks must receive your absentee ballot by election day, Nov. 5, at 8 p.m., which is when polls close in Wisconsin. However, the U.S. Postal Service recommends mailing back your absentee ballot at least a week before Election Day, or Oct. 29, so it gets to your clerk in time.
There are other options for returning your absentee ballot instead of mailing it, but those also differ by municipality. Some communities, like Milwaukee, will offer absentee ballot drop boxes after the state Supreme Court reversed a past decision that banned them.
Other options for returning your absentee ballot include bringing it to your clerk's office, your assigned polling place or a central count location. You can check with your clerk to see which options are available in your community.
When is early voting in Wisconsin?
State law allows for early voting to take place no earlier than 14 days before Election Day — in this case, Oct. 22 — and no later than the Sunday before the election, or Nov. 3. There is no in-person absentee voting on the Monday before the election, Nov 4.
Each city, town or village decides how many days, times and locations they want to offer early voting. You can check whether early voting is available in your community by entering your address here, or by contacting your local clerk.
When and how can I register to vote in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has same-day voter registration, so you can register to vote at the polls Nov. 5. Make sure to bring a proof of residence document, like a driver's license with your current address, a utility bill or a bank statement.
However, if you want to register to vote online or via mail, the deadline to do so is Oct. 16. You can register to vote online at myvote.wi.gov. Registering by mail involves filling out and printing a registration form and mailing it to your clerk.
More: Everything you need to know to register to vote in Wisconsin for the Nov. 5 election
You can also register in-person at your local clerk's office during their business hours. The deadline for that option is the Friday before Election Day, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Absentee ballots in Wisconsin: What to know about 2024 voting
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