To register to vote in the State of Wisconsin an individual must meet the following qualifications:
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Be a United States Citizen
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Be at least 18 years of age on or before the election
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Be a resident of Wisconsin
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Are not currently serving a sentence including probation or parole for a felony conviction, and are not otherwise disqualified from voting
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You will have to show an official photo ID in order to get a ballot. For more information about what kinds of ID qualify, click here. For information about how to obtain a free ID for voting, click here. Note that in order to get a free ID, you will have to specifically ask for a free ID for voting.
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The new election law requires a person to be a resident of a voting district for at least 28 consecutive days prior to the election in that district. Already registered voters who have moved more recently may vote in their old district.
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The new law has shortened the period when citizens may cast an absentee vote in their municipal clerk’s office. It is now a two-week period that ends at the close of business on the Friday before the election.
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Voters are required to sign the poll book in order to get a ballot.
Can register to vote:
- By Mail: Download the Application for Voter Registration in English or Spanish. Complete the form and mail it into the municipal clerk's office. The application must be postmarked no later than the 20th day (3rd Wednesday) before the election.
- In-Person: Register in the municipal clerk's office up to 5 p.m. or the close of business whichever is later on the Friday before the election.
- At the polling place on election day: If you wish to register to vote at your polling place, you must bring proof that you reside at your present location. For purposes of voter registration, acceptable forms of proof of residence must include:
- A current and complete name, including both the given and family name; and
- A current and complete residential address, including a numbered street address, if any, and the name of a municipality.
*No ID is currently required for voting. Learn more here.
Absentee Voting:
By Mail: Download the Application for Absentee Ballot online. Complete the form and mail it to your municipal clerk's office. The application must be received by the clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday before the election in order for an absentee ballot to be mailed to you.
By E-Mail or Fax: A voter may request that a ballot be sent to them by sending an e-mail or fax to their municipal clerk. Before the ballot can be counted on election day, the municipal clerk must have received a request from the voter with an original signature. (Print your emailed request, sign it, and return it with your ballot, but outside the certified ballot envelope.) This request must be made no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday before the election in order for an absentee ballot to be mailed to you.
In-Person at your Municipal Clerk's Office: This can be done up until 5 p.m. or the close of business (whichever is later) on the Friday before the election. Please check with your municipal clerk for regular office hours. If you apply for an absentee ballot in your municipal clerk's office, you must vote immediately, seal your ballot in the proper envelope, and return it to a member of the clerk's staff. No ballots may be taken from the clerk's office.
Up-to-date information for registering to vote and voting in Wisconsin in 2012 is available from:
