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Wisconsin | Voting Guide
Voting Guide
Wisconsin
Registration Deadlines and Election Dates
Mail-in Voter Registration Deadline: 20 days before Election Day.
Online Voter Registration Deadline: 20 days before Election Day at 11:59 p.m.
Deadline to register in person at your municipal clerk’s office: Friday at 5 p.m. before Election Day.
You can also register to vote at the polls on Election Day.
2023
Spring Primary Election Voter Registration Deadline (by mail or online): February 1
Spring Primary Election Voter Registration Deadline (at municipal clerk’s office): February 17
Spring Primary Election: February 21
Spring Election Voter Registration Deadline (by mail or online): March 15
Spring Election Voter Registration Deadline (at municipal clerk’s office): March 31
Spring Election: April 4
Official Election Websites
Voter information available at:
More election information available at:
Online voter registration available at:
myvote.wi.gov/en-us/Register-To-Vote
PDF voter registration form available at:
Register at School or Home
Students have a decision about where to register to vote.
You have a right to register to vote at the address you consider the place where you live, whether that is your family's home or the place where you attend school. You should update your registration anytime this home address changes.
You may only be registered and vote in one location.
What Type of ID Do I Need to Register?
To register to vote online you must have your current Wisconsin driver’s license or ID number.
Wisconsin's voter registration form asks for your Wisconsin driver's license or ID number. Be sure to provide one of these numbers if you have it. If you don't have a Wisconsin driver's license or state ID, then you may use the last four digits of your Social Security number. You must also provide proof of residence.
Wisconsin also requires voters to provide proof of residence when they register. Acceptable proof-of-residence documents must contain a name and current address and can include the following:
A current Wisconsin driver’s license or ID card
Another ID card or license issued by the State of Wisconsin
Any government document or check including benefits and federal student loan documents
A university, college, or technical college photo ID card ONLY if the voter provides a tuition fee receipt from the last 9 months
An employer photo ID with a current address
A real property tax bill or receipt for the current year or the year preceding the date of the election
Bank or credit union statement
A utility bill like gas, electric, water, cell phone, or cable bill for a period beginning no earlier than 90 days before Election Day
Paycheck or paystub
A bank or credit card statement Current residential lease (Not valid if registering by mail)
A contract or intake document for a residential care facility
A tribal ID from a federally recognized Indian tribe (must meeting address requirements)
An affidavit on public or private social service agency letterhead identifying a homeless voter and describing the individual’s residence for voting purposes
What Type of ID Do I Need to Vote?
Both in-person and absentee Wisconsin voters MUST show photo ID at the polls or submit a copy with their absentee ballot request. Voters who by reason of age, physical illness, infirmity, or disability may have difficulty travelling to the polling place are considered "indefinitely confined" and do not have to submit a copy of ID with their absentee ballot request form.
Acceptable forms of ID include:
Wisconsin driver’s license or ID card (must be current or expired after the last general election)
Military or uniformed service ID card
U.S. Passport or card
The following IDs are also accepted:
Certificate of naturalization issued within two years of the general election’s date
Tribal ID card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe in Wisconsin (even if expired before the most recent general election)
An expired or unexpired college, university or technical college student ID card with a signature, an issuance date, and an expiration date no later than two years after the issuance date (even if expired before the most recent general election). If the ID is expired, it must be presented with proof of current enrollment like a tuition fee receipt or letter verifying enrollment, as a paper copy or displayed on a smartphone or tablet. However, even if your ID is unexpired, in an abundance of caution, you should still be prepared to present or, if voting absentee by mail, mail a copy of your proof of current enrollment.
For a full list of acceptable photo IDs, please visit:
bringit.wi.gov/do-i-have-right-photo-id
Photo ID does NOT need to list an address or a current address, only your name and photo. If you do not have an accepted form of voter ID, a free voter ID card can be obtained from the DMV.
For more information, visit:
Where Do I Vote?
Make a plan. Look up your voting site and hours at:
How Can I Vote?
By Mail
Any registered Wisconsin voter may vote by mail.
You can request a mail ballot online or using a printable form.
Requests for absentee ballots must be received by 5 p.m. the Thursday before Election Day
Except for military and overseas voters, Wisconsin voters who cast a mail ballot must do so in the presence of a witness. The witness must be a U.S. citizen who is at least 18 years old. If experience difficulty locating a witness, please contact your municipal clerk’s office.
You can return your ballot in-person at your municipal clerk's office or central count location. Please contact your municipal clerk's office to confirm locations.
Completed ballots must be returned so that they are received by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Early In-person
You can vote early at a municipal clerk’s office beginning the 14th day before Election Day until the Sunday before Election Day. Check with your clerk for the dates and hours.
Election Day
Voting sites will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day. If you are in line by the closing time, then you have the right to vote.
Common Questions/Concerns
Registering to Vote Does Not Affect Your:
Federal Financial Aid
Where you register to vote will not affect federal financial aid such as Pell Grants, Perkins or Stafford loans, or your dependency status for FAFSA.
Status as a Dependent on Your Parents’ Taxes
Being registered to vote at a different address from your parents does not prevent them from claiming you as a dependent on their taxes.
Tuition Status
Being deemed out-of-state for tuition purposes does not prevent you from choosing to register to vote in your campus community.
Will registering to vote in Wisconsin affect my driver’s license or car registration?
Registering to vote in Wisconsin does not necessarily affect your driver's license or car registration. However, as a new resident of Wisconsin, you may be required to make changes to your driver's license and car registration regardless of whether you register to vote. You may wish to contact the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles.
Fair Elections Center and Campus Vote Project intend the information contained herein to be used only as a general guide. This document should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a licensed Wisconsin legal professional.
Last updated January 2023