Voters will decide on Feb. 18 which candidates in several key races will make it to the runoff election in April. (File photo by Andrea Waxman)
On Tuesday, Feb. 18, voters in Milwaukee will have the opportunity to help shape the city’s future by participating in the spring primary election. Several key races are on the ballot, including ones for mayor and Milwaukee County Executive.
Voters get to decide which two candidates will advance in April for a run-off. Here are some steps to ensure that your voice is heard that day.
How to register?
The deadline to register to vote online or via mail is 20 days before an election, meaning you’ve already missed that opportunity. But you can still pre-register today for the April election or register at a polling site on Feb. 18. To check if you’re already registered at your current address, click here.
You can contact the Milwaukee Election Commission at 414-286-3491 if you believe you should be registered but cannot confirm your registration record, said Neil Albrecht, executive director of the commission.
According to Albrecht, even if you’ve pre-registered, you still need to show your ID at the polls. However, the address on your ID does not have to be current if you’re pre-registered.
If you’re registering at a polling site on Feb. 18, and the address on your ID does not match your current address, you’ll need to bring a separate proof of address. Acceptable forms of proof of address include a paycheck, bank statement or a utility bill that shows your current and complete name and current residence. Not just any piece of mail is considered acceptable proof of address, Albrecht stated. Click here for more examples of acceptable proof.
You’ll need a photo ID that meets the state’s requirement to register on Tuesday. Those include Wisconsin Department of Transportation issued driver’s licenses, military ID cards, a U.S. passport or a certificate of naturalization that was issued no more than two years from the date of the election. For a full list of acceptable IDs, click here.
Where and when do I vote?
Voting begins at 7 a.m. and ends at 8 p.m. As long as you’re in line by 8 p.m. you will have an opportunity to vote. Polling location is dependent on the address where you are registered. You can find out where your polling station is and preview your ballot by entering your address on the city’s Where do I Vote/What’s On My Ballot? webpage.
Additional tips from Albrecht
- From 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. are the busiest times to vote, and waits can be longer than 20 minutes in high turnout elections. If you’d like to avoid long lines or have limited time, you might want to consider voting at a different time of the day.
- Sometimes voting sites change from one election to the next, so it’s good to check first.
- If you have disabilities and are concerned about accessing your voter site, you can review information regarding accessible parking and entrances here.
Resources
Wisconsin Elections Commission
Edgar is a senior staff reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. Mendez is a proud graduate of UW-Milwaukee, where he double majored in Journalism and Sociology, and of Marquette University, where he earned a master’s degree in Communication. As an accomplished journalist, Edgar’s awards include a 2018 Regional Edward R. Murrow award, several press club awards and a Society of Professional Journalists’ regional award for columns dealing with issues such as poverty, homelessness and racism.
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