MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin’s next election is just over a week away, which means absentee voters who have yet to return their ballots are running out of time to do so.
Meagan Wolfe, administrator for the Wisconsin Elections Commission said voters voting absentee should turn their ballots in as soon as possible, rather than waiting until the last minute.
“More than 390,000 Wisconsin voters have requested absentee ballots by mail, but less than 96,000 have been recorded as returned,” Wolfe said. “Your ballot must arrive by Election Day to be counted and the US Postal Service says it can take up to seven days for a letter to arrive. If you’re planning to mail your ballot back, you should mail it back as soon as possible.”
In general, voters should allow for one week for their ballot to make it to their clerk’s office from the time they mail it out. WEC recommends returning your ballot in the mail by March 30 at the latest. Voters running up against that deadline can turn in their absentee ballots in-person at their municipal clerk’s office or a secure drop box if one is provided. Voters can visit myvote.wi.gov to see if their clerk offers a drop box. Most voters can also turn in their ballot in-person at their polling place by 8 p.m. on election day.
“We want citizens to choose the option for voting that works best for them, but time is running out. For voters who choose to vote absentee by mail, we want to be sure they have the information they need to navigate that process,” Wolfe said. “Of course, every voter who is eligible to vote in the state can also vote in-person absentee in their clerk’s office or at their polling place on election day.”
The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot is April 1, but Wolfe said it’s unrealistic for voters to wait until that date to request a ballot and expect it to arrive in time to return it by the election to be counted.
April 2 is the deadline for voters to register at their clerk’s office, but Wisconsinites can register to vote in-person at their polling place on election day. April 4 is the last day municipal clerks can offer in-person absentee voting at their office or any satellite locations, but most usually only offer voting at their office until Friday.
The election is on April 6. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Any voters in line by 8 p.m. can still cast their vote or return their absentee ballot. Anyone returning their ballot at their clerk’s office should do so early so there is enough time to send the ballot to the proper location for counting by the 8 p.m. deadline.
Anyone planning to vote absentee who hasn’t requested their ballot yet should do so immediately, Wolfe said. Voters can request a ballot online at myvote.wi.gov.
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