Two Weeks Until Election Day: Exercise Your Voting Options

For Release: Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Early Voting (In-Person Absentee) Starts Today!

Make Sure You're Ready to Vote On or Before November 3rd

Two weeks from today is Election Day - November 3rd. But you don't need to wait until November 3rd to vote with early voting options by mail and in-person. Choose the option best for you and make sure you have a plan to vote. Then help every eligible voter to do the same.

Make sure you are registered to vote at your current address

Go to MyVote.wi.gov, and enter your name and date of birth to check your voter registration status. You need to have lived at your current address for at least 28 days prior to Election Day in order to register to vote in that election district or ward.

 

If you find out that you are not already registered to vote at your current residence, you can still register:
 

• In your Municipal Clerk’s Office. You can register in-person in your municipal clerk’s office up until the close of business on the Friday before the election in which you are planning to vote. For the Fall election, the last day to register in your clerk's office is next Friday, October 30th. You'll need to bring a proof of residence document to complete your registration (this document can be shown electronically). You can find your clerk's office information here.

 

• At the Polls on Election Day. If you're unable to register by before the election, you can still register at your polling place on Election Day. You will need to present a proof of residence document when registering (again, this document can be shown electronically). If your Wisconsin driver’s license or state ID card has your current address, that’s all you need.

Examples of proof of residence documents are here. 

Casting an absentee ballot / Early Voting

Municipalities can begin early voting today, October 20th, and must conclude by November 1st. To find out where and when you can cast an early, in-person absentee ballot in your city/town/village, contact your local municipal clerk’s office. In-person early voting dates and times vary by municipality, and you can see your options at MyVote by clicking on "Vote Absentee" and filling in your information. Then click on the "Find my local absentee options" button to see your in-person early voting options.

 

If you requested a mailed absentee ballot, return it as soon as possible. Track your ballot through the official ballot tracker on MyVote. You can also find if your clerk has designated drop box options to return your ballot. Go to MyVote, click on "Vote Absentee" and fill in your information. Then click on the "Find my local absentee options" button to see if your municipality has drop box options for returning your ballot. Otherwise you can drop the ballot off at your clerk's office. If you still need to return your ballot by mail, don't wait and do it today. 

 

If you haven't requested your absentee ballot by mail, it's best to choose another option to cast your ballot (in-person early vote or vote on Election Day). Your ballot needs to be returned to the clerk by Election Day, November 3. Don't risk not having your ballot not counted because it isn't back in time by making a late request. 

 

All you wanted to know about absentee ballots (from how to fill them out to how they are counted) can be found here in these short videos created by the Wisconsin Election Commission. 

 

 And don't forget your photo ID

If you already have a Wisconsin driver's license or state ID card, then you're "ID ready." Just remember to bring it with you when you head to your polling place!

Check which other IDs are valid to use to vote at the official site: Bring It to the Ballot. Here you can also learn how to obtain a free state ID card to vote and review other ID information.

 

Are you a college student voting in Wisconsin? Or do you know a student who wants to vote in Wisconsin?

Here is important information from the Common Cause Wisconsin website to share:

Three Things College Students Need to Do To Vote in Wisconsin

Most students already have a Wisconsin driver's license or one of the other acceptable forms of photo ID for voting.

Students who do not have one of the other forms of acceptable ID for voting should look up their college/university on the appropriate list linked below to see if their student ID can be used as a photo ID to vote or if their school offers a special photo ID card for voting:
 

• University of WI - 4-Year Schools
• University of WI - 2-Year Schools
• WI Private Universities and Colleges
• WI Technical and Community Colleges

Questions or Problems? There's help.

 

Registering to vote, having the correct ID, finding your polling place...None of these things have to be scary, but they can be overwhelming. Help is just a call or text away.

 

Call or text the WI Voter Helpline at 608-285-2141 and you will be connected to a nonpartisan person who can help answer all your questions. You can also request services such as getting assistance at the DMV to get an ID to vote or having someone witness your absentee ballot. 

 

Voters with disabilities have the right to an accessible polling place. This includes the right to use an accessible voting machine, to assistance marking a ballot, and to voting curbside. Call the Disability Rights Wisconsin Voter Hotline for assistance: 1-844-347-8683.

 

If you experience problems at the polls or have questions, there is help. Call Election Protection at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) for support from nonpartisan election protection volunteers with questions or to report problems.

 

Make a plan. Then do your plan. There is still time to prepare and be voter ready however you choose to vote in this Election.

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CONTACT:

Jay Heck
Executive Director
Common Cause Wisconsin
608/256-2686 (o)
608/512-9363 (c)
jheck@commoncause.org
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Erin Grunze

Voting and Elections Consultant
Common Cause Wisconsin
egrunze@commoncause.org

Common Cause in Wisconsin
152 W. Johnson St., Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703