Voting by Absentee Ballot
Did you know that any registered Wisconsin voter can Vote by Mail? An absentee ballot is not just for people out of town. It’s convenient and guarantees you’ll “turn out” to vote.
Options for requesting an absentee ballot:
- Online
No excuse needed. Anyone can vote
absentee by mail. Request yours online.
You have until 5pm on the Thursday
before Election Day to request an
absentee ballot for an election. You can
also request to vote absentee for
multiple elections or even the entire
year when requesting to vote absentee.
Voters who are indefinitely confined,
meaning they have a difficult time getting
to the polls due to age, illness, infirmity,
or disability, can request that a ballot be
automatically sent to them for each
election.
Voters on the list must return their ballot
each election or they will be dropped from
the absentee ballot rolls.
- Request your Absentee Ballot at your municipal clerk's office- In-person, by email or phone
Absentee ballots are mailed 3 weeks before local (spring) elections and 47 days before national (fall) elections.
Find instructions on how to complete your absentee ballot here. Be sure to follow the instructions to ensure your ballot is counted.
Watch this video below to learn more about successfully completing your absentee ballot.
Receiving a Absentee Ballot
Inside your envelope, you will find the following:
- Instructions
- Ballot
- Return Envelope
Absentee voters must have someone witness them completing their absentee ballot. Your witness will need to sign and provide their address on the certificate of your return envelope. The witness signature confirms the voter voted the ballot and placed it in the envelope for return. Your witness can be any adult U.S. citizen except for a candidate on your ballot.
When Returning a Completed Absentee Ballot, remember the following:
- Use blue or black pen to complete your ballot
- Review your name and address on the return envelope to ensure it’s correct.
- Put your ballot in the return envelope.
- Sign and date the certificate on the return envelope.
- Have your witness sign and write their address on the return envelope.
- Mail or deliver your ballot to your clerk by the deadline.
Returning Your Ballot
DO NOT DELAY! Return your ballot as soon as possible to ensure your vote is counted. Below is a schedule to keep in mind when returning your ballot.
- Returning by mail: The U.S. Postal Service recommends absentee ballots be mailed one week before Election Day to arrive in time.
- Return/drop-off in-person: Keep in mind that your completed absentee ballot must be delivered to your municipal clerk's office, one of their designated drop off locations or your polling place no later than 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
Checking the Status of Your Ballot
You can check the status of your absentee ballot request at myvote.wi.gov. When viewing your voter information, you can see the date you requested the ballot, the date it was mailed to you, and the date your completed ballot was received.
Early In-Person Voting
You may vote early in person - at your municipal clerk's office or another site designated by your clerk. Dates and hours for early voting vary by municipality. Contact your municipal clerk to find out your local opportunities to early vote.
Fun fact: Early voting is also called in-person absentee voting.
Want more information about absentee and early voting? Visit the Wisconsin Election Commission's absentee voting info page.
Voting on Election Day
The polls will be open from 7 AM to 8 PM on Election Day, April 5, 2022. Find your polling place here.
Important Dates in 2022
February 15, 2022 - Spring Primary (if needed)
April 5, 2022 - Spring Election
August 9, 2022 - Partisan Primary
November 8, 2022 - General Election
If you need to register to vote that day, bring an acceptable Proof of Residence. You will also need to show your Acceptable Photo ID before you can vote.
Be safe!
- Wear a mask.
- Keep at least six feet away from others.
- Bring your own pen and hand sanitizer.