The day of decision is finally here! Election Day is tomorrow, Tuesday, November 8th! Defend democracy and free and fair elections in Wisconsin and your critically important role in it by casting your ballot. Your vote is your voice, and your voice matters. So, if you haven't yet cast your ballot by absentee voting, then here’s what you need to know about voting tomorrow.
The Wisconsin Election Commission released this guidance for all voters: WEC Offers Election Day Reminders for November 8.
If you have a mailed absentee ballot that was sent to you and you have not returned it yet, be sure to hand return your completed ballot TODAY. Do NOT mail it. All ballots need to be received no later than 8:00 PM on Election Day. Your clerk and myvote.wi.gov will have information about where you can return your ballot. Don't forget: The ballot envelope needs a witness signature and the complete address of the witness.
You can track your ballot through the official ballot tracker on MyVote. Don't see that your ballot was received? Contact your clerk for further information.
Read the information below so you are prepared when you show up to vote at your polling location tomorrow (Find your polling place). Polls are open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM across the state.
Registration:
You can register to vote on Election Day at your voting location. Being registered to vote means being registered at your current address. You need to have resided 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. You'll need to bring a proof of residence document to complete your registration (this document can be shown electronically - like on your phone or tablet).
Photo ID:
You are required to show a specified photo ID before you vote. If you have a Wisconsin driver's license or ID card, then you’re all set. Other specified forms of ID work too, and it’s smart to check the official list of acceptable IDs at https://bringit.wi.gov to make sure you have what you need.
What if you don't have an acceptable ID to vote tomorrow? You can ask for AND vote with a provisional ballot. But, for your ballot to be counted, you MUST either come back to your polling place with an acceptable form of ID before it closes at 8:00 PM on Election Day OR bring your ID to your municipal clerk's office by 4:00 PM the Friday after the election (Friday, November 11th). If you don't have an acceptable ID for voting and need help getting one, contact the VoteRiders for assistance: online at VoteRiders or at 844-338-8743 (call or text).
Need a Ride to Your Polling Location to Vote?
Souls to the Polls is offering free round trip rides to the polls in Milwaukee. Call their hotline 414-742-1060. You can call now to schedule your ride ahead of time or on Election Day.
Disability Rights Wisconsin has compiled a list of agencies and counties that provide transportation for voting, with a focus on those who serve people with disabilities and older adults, including accessible transportation across the state. Many require advance notice. https://disabilityvote.org/rides-to-polls/
Student Voters:
Students attending a public or private university, college, or technical school in Wisconsin can find information about how to vote from the CC/WI webpage: Three Things College Students Need to Vote in Wisconsin.
Know what’s on your ballot:
Take a look at your official ballot through MyVote before you cast your vote. Find out what offices are being elected, who is running for those offices, and important ballot referenda. Be sure to check the back of your ballot! Your voice is amplified the more local the election. So be sure to vote on everything down the ballot.
Get to know who wants to represent you and which candidate best represents your values before you vote. Find candidate and ballot information from Vote411 and Wisconsin Vote.
Have questions or need some assistance?
Beyond the resources of your municipal clerk, help is just a call, text, or email away!
Do your part to preserve democracy and ensure that your voice is heard and your vote matters and is counted. Go Vote! Elections in Wisconsin are often very closely contested and each and every vote can and does make a difference.
Please vote.
Make Wisconsin’s state motto your mantra today: Forward!
Sincerely,
Jay Heck
It is not an exaggeration to characterize next Tuesday’s election as one of the most significant in Wisconsin’s history. What happens on November 8th and after will have a major impact on where our state, and our nation, is headed in the years ahead. Statewide elections in Wisconsin are usually always very close and every vote matters. It is imperative that you ensure that your vote is cast correctly so that it can be counted and will reflect your values and your choices for public office and who represents us.
With that in mind, you need to know that in Wisconsin, you can currently vote one of three ways:
By Absentee Ballot By Mail (return your ballot)
OR
By Absentee Ballot In-Person (happening now)
OR
In-Person on Election Day (November 8th)
Make a plan to vote the best way that works for you. Here’s more helpful information about each option and other important items to note about casting your ballot.
First way to vote: Mail-in Absentee Ballot
While you have until November 3rd to request a mail-in ballot, we suggest you either vote on Election Day or "Early In-Person Vote" (see explanations below) because the likelihood of receiving and returning your ballot by the deadline are much reduced since we are now nearing Election Day, which is November 8th.
If you have not yet returned your completed mailed ballot, do so NOW! Your ballot (sealed in the official envelope with your signature and a witness's signature and full address) needs to be returned to your clerk by Election Day! If you haven't mailed your ballot yet, it is now far better to personally drop the ballot off at your clerk's office. Voters should check with their municipal clerk about their options. Visit https://myvote.wi.gov to find your local clerk’s contact information and hours of operation. Track your ballot through the official ballot tracker at MyVote.
Second Way to Vote: In-person Absentee Ballot (Early Vote)
If you’d like to cast an absentee ballot in person (aka, “early vote”) before Election Day, check with your clerk for locations and times for your village / town / city. Most municipalities will wrap up early voting this Friday, November 4th. However, some municipalities will continue early vote through this weekend. Visit your municipal clerk’s website, contact your clerk, or search MyVote.wi.gov to find out about your options and opportunities to vote early.
Third Way to Vote: At your polling location on Election Day – Tuesday, November 8th
Prepare now if you’re going to vote at your polling place next week on Election Day, Tuesday, November 8th. Here are some things to help you make and execute a voting plan:
Registration: If you are not yet registered to vote, you can register to vote on Election Day at your voting location. (Find your polling place.) Being registered to vote means being registered at your current address. You need to have resided 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, otherwise you can vote at your previous address. You'll need to bring a proof of residence document to complete your registration (this document can be shown electronically).
Photo ID: You are required to show a specified form of photo ID before you vote. If you have a Wisconsin driver's license or ID card, then you’re all set. Other forms of ID work too, and it’s good to check the official list of acceptable IDs at https://bringit.wi.gov to make sure you have what you need.
***Many Wisconsin DMV locations will be offering extended hours (until 6pm CT) on Monday 11/7 and/or Tuesday 11/8 to help Wisconsinites obtain the photo ID they need to vote. You can look up your nearest DMV location and hours here: https://trust.dot.state.wi.us/cscfinder/cscsearch.do
Know what’s on your ballot:
Take a look at your official ballot through MyVote before you cast your vote. Find out what offices are being elected, who is running for those offices, and important ballot referenda. Be sure to check the back of your ballot! Your voice is amplified the more local the election. So be sure to vote on everything down the ballot
Get to know who wants to represent you and which candidate best represents your values before you vote. Find candidate and ballot information from Vote411 and Wisconsin Vote.
Rides to the Polls:
Souls to the Polls is offering free round trip rides to the polls in Milwaukee. Call their hotline 414-742-1060. You can call now to schedule your ride ahead of time for early voting (now through 11/5) or on Election Day (Tuesday, 11/8)!
Disability Rights Wisconsin has compiled a list of agencies and counties that provide transportation for voting, with a focus on those who serve people with disabilities and older adults, including accessible transportation across the state. Many require advance notice. https://disabilityvote.org/rides-to-polls/
Student Voters:
Students attending a university, college, or technical school in Wisconsin can find information to vote from the CC/WI webpage: Three Things College Students Need to Vote in Wisconsin.
Election Results:
Every eligible voter should have their voice heard and their vote counted. We expect a high voter turnout in this election and that means it will take longer to count the votes and verify a winner in this year’s election — and that’s okay! As we know, absentee ballots take longer to count because of security measures to verify the accuracy of those ballots and many voters now vote by absentee ballot. Plus, in Wisconsin, election officials cannot start counting absentee ballots until the polls open on Election Day. This means, officials can't start processing ballots until the poll open or officials can't start counting ballots until the polls close. Election integrity is more important than partial results reported on Election night. We need to be patient so election officials can take the time to make sure every eligible vote is counted accurately.
By taking a few minutes now to review your voting options and decide on a plan, you can make your voting experience proceed smoothly and effectively. And that will mean that your vote will be counted, and your voice will be heard. That is the foundation of American democracy and it is a right and privilege that none of us should ever take for granted.
So, take a deep breath and Get Ready, Set, VOTE!
On Wisconsin!
Jay Heck
In early September, Common Cause in Wisconsin (CC/WI) e-mailed every Republican, Democratic and Independent candidate for the Wisconsin State Senate and Assembly in the upcoming November 8th election, inviting them to proactively contact us to inform us of their support nonpartisan redistricting reform and if they wished to have their names listed publicly on our website.
The day following the e-mail message to candidates, September 8th, CC/WI sent this release to inform the public of this initiative. In it, CC/WI invited citizens to contact state legislative candidates in their area to urge their support for ending partisan gerrymandering and to contact CC/WI to have their names listed publicly in support of nonpartisan redistricting reform and specifically legislation introduced in 2021 - Assembly Bill 395/Senate Bill 389. This is a comprehensive reform measure that is modeled after Iowa's highly successful, 42-year-old redistricting process that takes the partisan politics out of redistricting and delegates the boundary-drawing to a non-partisan state entity that does not utilize partisan political considerations in their task.
Then, on September 22nd, CC/WI issued this first follow-up release (hyperlink that release) once again inviting state legislative candidates to inform us and the public of their support for non-partisan redistricting reform. And on October 14th sent out this second follow-up release. Today’s release is now the third and final follow-up, and fourth and final invitation to candidates to express public support for the “Iowa Model” redistricting process for Wisconsin before November 8th.
As of today, CC/WI has been contacted by 11 Wisconsin state legislative candidates for the State Senate and 48 candidates for the Assembly. Here is the complete, up-to-date listing of those supportive candidates that have proactively contacted CC/WI to have their names listed.
As we have done during every state legislative election year since 2014, CC/WI wants to make it simple and easy for Wisconsin voters and media to be able to see which state legislative candidates support the non-partisan redistricting reform embodied in the "Iowa Plan" by providing a continually updated list of those candidates on our website.
Any statewide or state legislative candidate (or their authorized proxy) who supports the "Iowa Plan" and would like to see their name listed on our site should contact CC/WI by phone at (608) 256-2686 (leave a message if no answer), or by email, jheck@commoncause.org. Citizens can and should urge candidates to support non-partisan redistricting reform and request that they get their names on this list.
Candidates must be proactive to have their names appear on this site! Even incumbent legislators running for re-election who co-sponsored AB 395/SB 389 during the last legislative session and previously must contact us to be on the list. Why? Because it demonstrates that they are paying attention and continue to support this reform issue. And, because it’s important for candidates for public office to take the initiative to inform voters about where they stand on important issues like ending partisan gerrymandering in Wisconsin.
The list of candidates who inform us of their support for the Iowa Model redistricting plan for Wisconsin will continue to be linked on our dedicated Common Cause Wisconsin webpage and updated regularly until the November 8th election.
Redistricting reform in Wisconsin is critical and necessary if we are ever to return to having a functional, less politically polarized state legislature that is responsive to the citizens of this state rather than to political bosses interested primarily in holding onto power. There is no question that an overwhelming majority of Wisconsinites want and support non-partisan redistricting reform. Now, we will find out which candidates of all political parties for the Wisconsin Legislature are willing to stand up and pledge support for it and for the voters of our state before November 8th.
On Wisconsin!
Jay Heck
Common Cause in Wisconsin (CC/WI)
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