If your absentee ballot is not received by Nov. 3, your vote will not be counted. (Photo by Adam Carr)
If you would rather avoid in-person voting Election Day (Nov. 3), you have options.
Here’s what you need to know about absentee voting.
Be sure you are registered to vote
The first thing you need to do to vote by absentee ballot in Wisconsin is make sure you’re registered to vote and that your address is current. Click here to see if you’re registered and to check the address you have on file. If you are registered but your name or address has changed, you will need to update your registration and submit a copy (photo) of your ID card. Visit BringitWisconsin for a list of acceptable IDs. The address on your ID does not have to be current.
If you’re not registered, you can do so here and then request an absentee ballot here. To register for the first time you will need to submit a photo of your ID online, or another approved form of identification.
Time is of the essence
The deadline to submit an application for an absentee ballot is the Thursday before the election, which is Oct. 29, but voters are being strongly encouraged to submit one as soon as possible. A federal court in Wisconsin recently blocked an extension of the absentee ballot deadline, so if your ballot is not received by mail or in person by Nov. 3, your vote will not be counted.
That means you must receive your ballot and mail it back or drop it off at an early voting site before Election Day. Early in-person absentee voting begins on Oct. 20 and runs to Nov. 1. In-person absentee voting sites can be found here.
Other ways to vote absentee
There are a few other ways you can request an absentee ballot. You can request one by mail by downloading the application for absentee ballot. Once you complete the form, you need to mail it with a copy of your photo ID to the Election Commission, 200 E Wells St Room 501, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
You can also email either your completed application for absentee ballot with a copy of your ID to absenteeballot@milwaukee.gov, or send a copy of your ID with the following information: 1. Your full name 2. Voting address 3. Specific election for which you would like a ballot.
Finally, you may fax your application for absentee ballot to (414) 286-8445, along with a legible faxed photo of your ID. If you still have questions, you can call the City of Milwaukee Election Commission at (414) 286-3491 or email voterinfo@milwaukee.gov.
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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