Wisconsin Absentee Voter Guide

Military and overseas voters should check out the Overseas Vote Foundation.  Long Distance Voter's forms and deadlines should only be used by voters with US mailing addresses.

Mail-In Deadlines

General Election: Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Voter Registration

To register to vote in Wisconsin you must:

• be a citizen of the United States
• be a legal resident of Wisconsin, and the of the municipality (town, village or city) in which you register for at least 10 days preceding the election.
• be at least 18 years old by the next election
• not be currently under conviction for a felony, including probation or parole
• not be judicially declared mentally incompetent and ineligible to vote
• not have placed a bet or wager which depends on the outcome of the election

How to register to vote:

• Recommended: Use our Voter Registration Widget.  Enter your information, print and sign the completed form, and mail it to the address printed on the form.  
• You can also download and complete the Wisconsin Voter Registration Form. Mail the completed form, along with your proof of residence, to your Municipal Clerk.

ID requirements for first time voters:

If you are registering to vote for the first time in Wisconsin, and you register to vote by mail, you must submit "proof of residence" with your voter registration form.  (You must also submit proof of residence if you register in person during the 20 days preceding the election or at the polls on election day.) Acceptable forms of proof of residence includes a copy of any one of the following: a current and valid Wisconsin driver's license; a current and valid Wisconsin I.D. card; any other official I.D. card or license issued by a Wisconsin governmental body or unit; any employer-issued photo I.D. card, issued in the normal course of business, but not including a business card; a university, college or technical college fee card or I.D. card with your photo and current address (May be used even if the card does not contain the cardholder's address, if the educational institution provides a certified student list for use at the polling place); a utility bill (e.g., gas, electric, cable TV or telephone) for the period commencing not earlier than 90 days before election day;a bank statement; a real estate (i.e., property) tax bill or receipt for the current year or the year preceding the date of the election; a pay check or a government check or other document issued by unit of government.

People who register in person may also show a current residential lease which is effective for a period that includes election day.  You may not use your lease if you register by mail.

Voter registration verification:

You should receive written confirmation that your voter registration was processed in 2-3 weeks.  Don't panic if you never receive your voter registration card: you don't actually need it to vote.  If you not sure if your registration was processed - or if you simply can't remember if you're register to vote - you can use the voter registration verification tools here.

Absentee Voting

Good news!  Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot in Wisconsin.

How to apply for an absentee ballot:

Download and complete Wisconsin's Application for an Absentee Ballot. Mail the completed application to your Municipal Clerk.  Your request must be received by the clerk no later than 5:00 PM on October 30, 2008 for the 2008 general election.

ID requirements for absentee voters:

You do not need to provide ID if you have already voted in Wisconsin at least once.  If you are voting for the first time in Wisconsin you must submit proof of residency with your absentee ballot application (you don't need to do this if you submitted proof of residency with your voter registration form). 

Acceptable forms of proof of residence includes a copy of any one of the following: a current and valid Wisconsin driver's license; a current and valid Wisconsin I.D. card; any other official I.D. card or license issued by a Wisconsin governmental body or unit; any employer-issued photo I.D. card, issued in the normal course of business, but not including a business card; a university, college or technical college fee card or I.D. card with your photo and current address (May be used even if the card does not contain the cardholder's address, if the educational institution provides a certified student list for use at the polling place); a utility bill (e.g., gas, electric, cable TV or telephone) for the period commencing not earlier than 90 days before election day;a bank statement; a real estate (i.e., property) tax bill or receipt for the current year or the year preceding the date of the election; a pay check or a government check or other document issued by unit of government.

Absentee ballot instructions::

Complete your absentee ballot and sign where indicated. A witness must watch you complete your ballot, though the witness need not see how you have voted.  Once completed, place your ballot in  the certification envelope provided to you with your ballot.  You and your witness must both sign the certification envelope.  The witness may be anyone who is a US citizen and over 18 years of age. Mail your completed ballot to your Municipal Clerk. The municipal clerk must receive your completed ballot by 8:00 PM on Election Day.

State Contact Information