What to Know About Early Voting
Some areas in this state allow early voting and others do not. For example, only in the city of Milwaukee has early voting allowed, but in the state of Wisconsin, residents can register in person or online, and vote early in the city of Milwaukee or across the state.
“The Wisconsin Supreme Court has made it clear that early voting for 2020 primaries is permitted,” said Jennifer McCormack, chair of the Elections Commission. Early voting is also allowed in Dane County and Racine County, and the state has set aside 20 days for early voting in the 2020 primaries.
Wisconsin residents can vote early in person or via mail-in ballot through early or on-demand absentee voting between Election Day, Sept. 8, and Election Day, Nov. 6, but there is no other type of early voting allowed (other than voting in midterm elections).
“There are currently no restrictions to the number of early voting days that each state and territory in Wisconsin has,” said McCormack. “There is no early or absentee voting ‘time limits,’ and so it is common for states to have as many as 20 days available in which to vote early.”
Early voting is a popular option, with approximately 12.6 million people in Wisconsin voting early in the last six state elections. Early voting allows voters to make their registration and voting decisions before election day, which can be a valuable resource for those who may not have a car to get to the polls. They also provide an opportunity to ensure they have the necessary information to vote in an election.
Eligible voters are only eligible if they are members and resident citizens of the United States, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, or Puerto Rican born citizens who are not American citizens.
Registration
Wisconsin residents can register at their county clerk’s office or in-person at their polling place.
Eligible voters can register through the Election Protection Department, Voter Outreach and Engagement, or Voter Protection Services
