Voting in Wisconsin

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Presidential Primary Election

04/02/2024
Election Date
03/13/2024
Voter Registration Deadline (by mail - postmarked, online)
04/02/2024
Voter Registration Deadline (in-person)

Vote By Mail Deadlines

03/28/2024
Deadline to Request Ballot (Received by)
04/02/2024
Deadline to Return Ballot (Received By)

Early Voting Dates

03/19/2024
Early Voting Begins
03/31/2024
Early Voting Ends

The upcoming election is a presidential primary. Learn About Presidential Primaries

Polling place hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Register to Vote

How to Vote in Wisconsin

Learn about all the options to vote in Wisconsin to make a plan to vote that works for you!

Frequently Asked Questions

Wisconsin Board of Elections Phone Number: (608) 266-8005

Wisconsin Board of Elections Website

Having trouble at the polls?

Call or text: 1-866-OUR-VOTE

Register to Vote in Wisconsin

Whether you are registering to vote for the first time, or need to update your address, name or party affiliation - we've got you covered!

Am I Registered?

Not sure if you are eligible to vote due to a felony conviction?
Click here to learn more.

Wisconsin Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely! You can check your voter registration online on Wisconsin’s Board of Elections website here, or you can contact the Board of Elections at (608) 266-8005.

It can take several weeks. Most states send out voter registration cards within 5 to 7 weeks after receiving the registration. If you do not receive a registration card in the mail, contact your state election office to confirm you are registered. Find your state’s contact information in our How to Vote in Your State section on this page! In any event, you should verify your registration a week prior to the voter registration deadline in your state in case you need to fill out a new registration form or correct your form.

Elections take place throughout the year. In addition to the presidential and midterm elections, there are state, county and municipal elections that you can make your voice heard in. Make sure you know when your upcoming elections are so that you don’t miss a single one! Check out when your next election is here.

Your state provides an online ballot tracking system. You can track your ballot here!

YES you are able to register to vote at your student address. You should provide your official campus mailing address as well as the actual physical address of your on or off campus residence when registering to vote. You must have some sort of proof of address and residency that can be presented at your polling place (mail, a student ID, etc.). For more information, we suggest visiting Wisconsin’s state elections office website and/or your student residency guide. Remember: you can only register to vote and vote in one place, whether that is your student address or your home address!

YES, unhoused voters can register to vote and use their voice in Wisconsin’s elections. Unhoused voters or voters without a permanent address may list a shelter address, street corner, or park as their address. For more information on voting while unhoused, visit our friends at the National Coalition for the Homeless.

YES. In this case you must register at the last address you had before you left the USA, or at the address to which you will return to when returning to the USA (you must present some indication of a present intent to return and live there – e.g. vehicle registration, driver’s license, property ownership, family, etc). If you have never had a permanent address in the United States but are a citizen you are allowed to register at an address you plan on moving to or an address where you currently have family living. Access more information on voting overseas here.

You may call the voting rights hotline at 866 687-8683, if informing another poll worker isn’t successful. They have lawyers ready to help you. Additionally, you can call the civil rights division of the U.S Department of Justice.

You can also find Wisconsin’s elections office here and contact them by phone at (608) 266-8005.

Vote By Mail

Request and track

Notice: Mail-in voting is a convenient and safe way to vote, but your ballot might not count if it’s submitted late or with errors. So follow the directions below on how to vote early or absentee and make your vote count in Wisconsin.

Vote By Mail Deadlines

03/28/2024
Deadline to Request Ballot (Received by)
04/02/2024
Deadline to Return Ballot (Received By)

How Vote By Mail Works in Wisconsin

Voting by mail is a two step process in Wisconsin.

Step 1: Request your ballot NOW. The deadline for your application to be received online or by mail is the Thursday before Election Day at 5 p.m.

  • If it is your first time voting by mail in Wisconsin, you must also include a copy of your valid photo ID with your application.

Step 2: Complete and return your ballot ASAP.

  • Fill out and sign your ballot in the presence of an adult witness. They must sign it, too.
  • Return in person to your municipal clerk's office by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
  • Or return by mail - ballots must be received by Election Day to be counted.

Click Here to See Your Ballot

Witness or Notary Requirement

Grab a friend! You must fill out and sign your ballot's certificate (attached to return envelope) in the presence of an adult witness. They must sign it, too.

Make sure to follow instructions! If you do not sign, or your witness does not sign, your ballot will be tossed and your vote will not count.

Where to Sign Your Ballot

Remember to sign your return ballot.

The certificate envelope. This location is also where the witness will sign.

ID Requirements to Vote By Mail

First time voters must submit ID when voting by mail.

ID is required with application to vote by mail.

Wisconsin voters must show valid photo ID when voting in person. Info here on what qualifies.

If it is your first time voting by mail, include a copy of your valid photo ID with your absentee ballot application. When the you submit the ballot by-mail you do not need to submit ID, but you must have one adult witness sign the absentee certificate envelope and provide their address.

Indefinitely confined voters, confidential voters, and military/permanent overseas voters do not need to give photo ID with absentee ballot request form.

How You Can Return Your Mail-in Ballot

If you return your ballot by mail, your postage is prepaid.

You can also drop off your ballot in person at your local elections office, or drop box.

Can Someone Else Return Your Ballot For You?

TBD. This issue is currently being discussed in pending legislation.

Track Your Ballot

Track your ballot by clicking here.

Haven't used your ballot?

You will be asked at your polling place if you have returned your ballot and if you have not, you will be issued a ballot at your polling place. You may also vote in person on Election Day if you requested, but never received, an absentee ballot.

Opportunities to Fix Challenges to Your Ballot

Wisconsin does offer voters a chance to address challenges to their ballot.

Your state gives you the opportunity to “cure” a challenge to the signature to your ballot. Your municipal clerk may contact you and give you options to remedy your ballot. Your clerk will provide step-by-step instructions for curing your ballot before Election Day. You must “cure” the challenge before the polls close on Election Day.

You may get a phone call with notification that your ballot needs to be cured. Be sure to pick up so you don’t miss your chance to make sure that your vote is counted.

Voter ID

Do Voters Need ID?

Wisconsin voters must show ID at the polls to vote. All forms of ID must have name and photo. Valid forms of identification include;

  • Wisconsin driver’s license, can be expired since the most recent general election
  • Wisconsin state ID card, can be expired since the most recent general election
  • US Military ID card, can be expired since the most recent general election
  • US Passport, can be expired since the most recent general election
  • Veteran Affairs Card- must be unexpired or have no expiration date
  • Wisconsin Tribal ID card- can be current or expired
  • Certificate of Naturalization- issued within 2 years of voting
  • Wisconsin accredited college ID with signature, expires within 2 years of issuance date. Must also bring proof of enrollment if the ID is expired since the most recent general election
  • DMV receipt

More info on acceptable voter IDs can be found here.

Voter ID in Wisconsin

Find Your Ballot

Enter your address below to see what you can expect on Election Day.

Primaries

Presidential Primaries

Primary Type (D): Open
Primary Type (R): Open

No party affiliation is required to participate in Wisconsin’s primaries. You will choose which political party’s ballot you’d like to vote when you go to vote. Being a member of a political party does not restrict which primary election you vote in.

Visit Wisconsin’s Republican Party or Democratic Party websites for more details.

Automatic Registration

Your state automatically registers people to vote at the address on their drivers license or other state issued ID card. If you have moved but have not updated your ID with your new address, changed your name or want to add a political party selection, you must update your voter registration. Click here to check to see if you are registered to vote, and update your registration if needed.

Election Day Registration

You can register to vote and cast your ballot on Election Day at your polling place or local elections office. Bring a valid ID and proof of residence with you.

In-Person Absentee Voting

In-Person Absentee Dates

03/19/2024
Voting Begins
03/31/2024
Voting Ends

You can vote in-person absentee in Wisconsin

To vote in person absentee, request, fill out, and return your ballot while at your municipal clerk's office. Exact dates and hours are determined by the clerk.

Preregister

Some states have laws that specifically allow citizens to preregister at a certain age while others allow registration as long as you’re 18 by the next election. Preregistration means you’ll be automatically registered to vote on your 18th birthday without taking any additional steps.

In Wisconsin, you can preregister to vote if you are 18 by the next election. Register to vote today!

Some states even let you vote in their primaries at 17 if you’ll be 18 by the general election so you can participate in the whole process!

You can not vote in the Wisconsin primaries if you are 17 by the next election.