Voting in Wisconsin
- Election date: Nov. 3
- Registration deadline(s): Oct. 14 (mail and online); Oct. 30 (in person)
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Recount laws
- Early voting starts: Varies locally
- Absentee/mail voting deadline(s): Nov. 3 (received)
- Processing, counting, and challenging absentee/mail-in ballots
- Voter ID: Photo ID
- Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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| Select a state from the menu below to learn more about its election administration. |
Voting policies are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which American citizens cast their ballots in their individual states.
This page includes the following:
- Voter registration details, including methods of registering and requirements
- Details on voting in elections, including identification requirements, poll times, and primary election type
- Absentee voting rules
- Early voting rules
- Convicted felons' voting rights
- Election administration costs report
- Election agencies list
- Election policy ballot measures list
- Election policy legislation list
See Election governance in Wisconsin for more detailed information about election and voting policy in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, and post-election auditing practices.
Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.
Political party events in Wisconsin were modified as follows:
- Political party events: The Republican Party of Wisconsin postponed its state convention, originally scheduled to take place in May, to July 10-11.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Voter registration
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in Wisconsin, one must be a citizen of the United States and a resident of Wisconsin for at least 28 days prior to the election. A voter must be at least 18 years of age by Election Day.[3]
Prospective voters can register online or by mailing a form to their municipal clerk. If registering by mail, the application must be postmarked no later than 20 days before the election. In-person registration must be completed by 5 p.m. on the Friday before Election Day. Prospective voters can also register in person at their municipal clerk's office up until the Friday before the election or at their polling place on Election Day. (Same-day voter registration requires proof of residency.)[3]
Automatic registration
Wisconsin does not practice automatic voter registration.[4]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Wisconsin has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.[4]
Same-day registration
Wisconsin allows same-day voter registration.[4]
Residency requirements
Wisconsin law requires 28 days of residency in a precinct before a person may vote.[3]
Verification of citizenship
Wisconsin does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, a voter who provides false information "may be subject to fine or imprisonment under State and Federal laws."[5]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[6] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The site My Vote, run by the Wisconsin Election Commission, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voting in elections
Voter identification
- See also: Voter identification laws by state and Wisconsin voter identification requirements and history
Wisconsin requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[7]
The following list of accepted ID was current as of October 2025. Click here for the Wisconsin Election Commission's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
- Wisconsin Department of Transportation-issued driver license, even if driving privileges are revoked or suspended
- Wisconsin Department of Transportation-issued identification card, with or without a photo
- Veteran ID card or U.S. Uniformed Service ID card
- U.S. passport book or card
- Identification card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe in Wisconsin
- Photo identification card issued by a Wisconsin accredited university, college, or technical college, containing the date the card was issued, an expiration date, and a signature. (If expired, the voter must also provide a separate document proving enrollment)
- Certificate of naturalization issued within the past two years
- Driver’s license receipt issued by Wisconsin Department of Transportation (valid for 45 days from date issued)
- Identification card receipt issued by Wisconsin Department of Transportation (valid for 45 days from date issued)
- Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles ID Petition Process Photo Receipt (valid for 60 days from date issued)
The following voters do not need to provide photo ID:[7]
- Confidential electors
- Active military and permanent overseas voters who vote by absentee ballot
- Indefinitely confined voters who vote by absentee ballot
Voters can obtain a free Wisconsin State ID Card at a Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles office. Voters need the following to apply for an ID:[8]
- Proof of name and date of birth (such as a birth certificate)
- Proof of identity (Social Security Card, Medicaid/Medicare Card, etc.)
- Proof of Wisconsin residency (utility bill, government mail, lease, etc.)
- Proof of U.S. citizenship (U.S. Birth certificate or citizenship paperwork)
- Social Security Number
Voters who do not have all or any of the materials listed above can still obtain an ID. Call the voter ID hotline for assistance at (844) 588-1069.[8]
Poll times
- See also: State poll opening and closing times
In Wisconsin, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Central Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[9]
Primary election type
- See also: Primary elections in Wisconsin
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Wisconsin utilizes an open primary system; registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[10]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Absentee voting
- See also: Absentee voting
All voters are eligible to vote absentee/by mail in Wisconsin. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee/by mail.[11][12]
To vote absentee by mail, a request to the municipal clerk must be received by 5 p.m. on the Thursday before Election Day. Once completed, returned ballots must be received no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day.[11][13]
Early voting
- See also: Early voting
Wisconsin permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Convicted felons' voting rights
- See also: Voting rights for convicted felons
In Wisconsin, people convicted of a felony automatically regain their right to vote upon completion of their entire sentence, including incarceration and parole or probation.[14]
Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[4]
Election administration costs
National Conference of State Legislatures report, 2018
On February 14, 2018, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) released a report on the costs of election administration in the states: "The Price of Democracy: Splitting the Bill for Elections." The report's authors noted that "no one knows how much [states] spend on elections ... [because] good research on election costs is slim." Generally, local units of government (most often counties, but sometimes cities and towns) are primarily responsible for election administration costs, though states and the federal government may also contribute. The report identified the states listed in the table below as assuming financial responsibility for at least some aspects of election administration.[15]
To access the complete NCSL report, click here.
| Election administration costs assumed by state | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| State pays all expenses for federal or state elections | State bears a portion of election costs | State pays for statewide special elections or statewide elections that don’t coincide with regularly scheduled elections | State pays for primary elections (statewide, presidential, or both) |
| Alaska Delaware |
Alabama Colorado Hawaii Kentucky Louisiana Rhode Island |
Arkansas Florida Iowa Michigan Missouri New Jersey North Dakota Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Tennessee Washington West Virginia |
Arizona Arkansas Idaho Kansas Michigan Minnesota Missouri South Carolina Tennessee Texas Virginia Washington |
| Note: If a state is not listed above, it was not included in the report. Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, "The Price of Democracy: Splitting the Bill for Elections," February 14, 2018 | |||
Election administration cost database
The Wisconsin Elections Commission maintains a database on election administration costs in the state. That database is accessible here.
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Wisconsin can contact the following state and federal agencies.
Wisconsin Government Accountability Board
- 212 East Washington Avenue, 3rd Floor
- Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7984
- Telephone: 608-261-2028
- Email: gab@wisconsin.gov
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 1335 East West Highway, Suite 4300
- Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
- Telephone: 866-747-1471
Noteworthy events
2020
Federal appeals court reverses in part and affirms in party district court ruling on early voting, voter ID laws
On June 29, 2020, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reversed a district court decision that had found that adjustments made to the number of days and hours for in-person absentee voting, the state's durational residency requirement, and the prohibition against sending absentee ballots via email violated the United States Constitution and/or Voting Rights Act. The appeals court affirmed the district court's decision that had invalidated a law disallowing the use of expired student IDs for voting purposes. Judge Frank Easterbrook penned the court's opinion, which was joined by Judges Michael Kanne and Diane Sykes.[16]
2019
Federal judge blocks changes to early voting, voter ID laws
On January 17, 2019, Judge James Peterson blocked changes to Wisconsin's early voting law signed into law in December 2018 by outgoing Gov. Scott Walker (R). The law in question restricted early voting to a 14-day period preceding an election, ending on the Sunday before the election. The law also disallowed the use of expired student IDs and temporary IDs more than 60 days old as identification for voting purposes. Peterson blocked the enactment of similar changes in 2016. As of January 21, 2019, full consideration of the case was pending before the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.[17]
Election policy ballot measures
Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to election and campaign policy in Wisconsin.
- Wisconsin Question 1, Ban on Private and Non-Governmental Funding of Election Administration Amendment (April 2024)
- Wisconsin Question 2, Only Designated Election Officials to Conduct Elections Amendment (April 2024)
Election policy legislation
The following is a list of recent election bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Wisconsin state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.
Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Wisconsin voting. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Wisconsin
- Redistricting in Wisconsin
- Wisconsin Voter ID requirements and history
Elections in Wisconsin
- Wisconsin elections, 2018
- Wisconsin elections, 2017
- Wisconsin elections, 2016
- Wisconsin elections, 2015
- Wisconsin elections, 2014
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ The New York Times, "Federal Appeals Court Permits Wisconsin Voter ID Law," September 12, 2014
- ↑ The New York Times, "Wisconsin Decides Not to Enforce Voter ID Law," March 23, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Voter Registration and Proof of Residence," accessed May 4, 2023
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 NCSL, "State Profiles: Elections," accessed August 20, 2024 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "ncsl" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Wisconsin Voter Registration Application," accessed November 2, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Acceptable Photo IDs," accessed October 9, 2025 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "wvid" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 8.0 8.1 Wisconsin Department of Transportation, "Wisconsin ID card for voting purposes - petition process," accessed October 9, 2025
- ↑ Wisconsin Election Commission, “Election Day Voting,” accessed May 4, 2023
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "Wis. Stat. § 5.62," accessed September 16, 2025
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Wisconsin Election Commission, "What is in-person absentee voting and how can I do it?" accessed May 4, 2023
- ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, "Vote Absentee Guide," accessed May 4, 2023
- ↑ Wisconsin Election Commission, "FAQ search results: absentee," accessed May 4, 2023
- ↑ Wisconsin Elections Commission, "I'm a convicted felon or in jail," accessed May 4, 2023
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "The Price of Democracy: Splitting the Bill for Elections," February 14, 2018
- ↑ United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, "Luft v. Evers," June 29, 2020
- ↑ Governing, "Early-Voting Restrictions Passed in Wisconsin Lame-Duck Session Blocked by Judge," January 18, 2019
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