If you're mailing in your absentee ballot in Wisconsin, this is a good week to do it

If you have a mail-in absentee ballot, this is a good week to send it back.

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. The USPS says, in the 2020 election, it delivered 99.9% of ballots to election officials within seven days.

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. If you still have an absentee ballot after Oct. 29, you should use one of those options rather than sending it in the mail.

You can also track the status of your absentee ballot at myvote.wi.gov.

More: Democrats scrutinize mail delays in Wisconsin ahead of Election Day

How can I request an absentee ballot in Wisconsin?

If you're a Wisconsin voter looking to request an absentee ballot, 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. Clerks must fulfill your request 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. Keep in mind that date is after the recommended time to return your ballot in the mail, and you can ask your clerk for other options to return it.

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.

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.

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. You can also register to vote at an early voting site through the same date.

More: Early voting starts soon. Here are locations, dates and times for Milwaukee and the suburbs

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Mailing in absentee ballot in Wisconsin? This is a good week to do it.