Voter Registration And Absentee Ballot Requirments

[Lucas Dailey]

I've got the skinny on WI voter registration law and procedures.

Register By Mail

• Citizens must use form GAB 131
• Registration must be postmarked 20 days before the election. (ie the window passed for April 5th)
• Must provide one of the below ID verification docs in addition to their application form.

Register In Person, In Advance

• Can be done at any time before 5pm the day before the election, at the County Clerks office, as well as many public libraries around the state. Check with your county clerk for additional venues.
• Must provide one of the below ID verification docs in addition to their application form.

Request Absentee Ballot(s) By Mail

• Requests for absentee ballots can happen anytime from Jan 1st up to Thursday (5days) before the election.
• Absentee Ballots must be delivered by election. Postmarking doesn't matter.
• To request an absentee ballot by mail, the county clerk must receive a hard copy in any form that includes: name, address, signature, and a statement saying anything to the effect of "I want an absentee ballot".
• Interestingly, you can request ballots for the entire year at once, and they will be mailed to you as they are published before each election.

 

Vote Absentee In Person

• Citizens can vote up to 5pm the day before the election (6pm in Madison) following the same procedures as registering in person, above.

Registration ID Documentation

Must provide one of the following

• A current and valid Wisconsin driver’s license or Wisconsin identification card.
• Any other official identification card or license issued by a Wisconsin governmental body or unit
• An identification card issued by an employer in the normal course of business, which has a photograph of the cardholder, but not a business card.
• A real estate tax bill or receipt for the current year or the year preceding the date of the election.
• A UW-Madison or Edgewood College ID card with a photograph of the cardholder, if student is listed on certified housing list.
• A utility bill for the period commencing not earlier than 90 days before the election.
• A bank statement.
• A paycheck.
• A check or other document issued by a unit of government.

During the "closed registration period", that is, < 20 days from the election, voters can also register in person with:

• A corroborating witness (someone who is eligible to vote in the City of Madison, has proof of their residence, and is able to corroborate your residency information.

How this affects 100percent.

The GAB 131, hard copy and signature requirements are definitely a blow. It looks like we won't be able to do as much actual registering as we'd initially hoped.

cheers,

Lucas