City Clerk's Office

Here are some questions and answers from the most recent webinar and live training sessions. Questions may be submitted to clerk@cityofmadison.com.

When will webinars be offered for the Presidential Election?
The City Clerk's Office will offer four different webinars before the 2020 General Election.  The live webinars will be held at 9 a.m. on October 6, October 13, October 20, and October 27.  Each webinar will also be available for replay.

Does the webinar fulfill my training requirement?
Yes, it does. Make sure you check the box indicating you watched the webinar when you complete the payroll sheet at your polling place on Election Day.

Where can I watch the webinar?
Watch the webinar online. The same link can be used to watch a replay of the webinar.

Is a copy of the handout available on the website?
Yes, it is available here.

If a voter is wearing a mask, do we ask them to lower their mask while we check ID?
No.  Compare the portion of the face you can see with the ID presented by the voter.  See additional guidance from the Wisconsin Elections Commission here.

Does Public Health recommend that we isolate ourselves from family after working at the polls?
Here is the answer from Public Health:

At this time, we only require quarantine after a close contact to a known case. Poll workers are correct to identify their increased risk by working at the polls and should determine for themselves what is best for their family.

If a poll worker follows the recommendations posted on our web page and the precautions taken during the April election are in place, there should not a need for a poll worker to quarantine from other members of their household.

As an example, I have been working at our pop-up test sites the past few weeks and have been in contact with individuals that tested positive for COVID-19. By wearing the necessary PPE, practicing good hand hygiene, and disinfecting all surfaces I contact I have been able to keep my family safe. In addition, I wash all my clothes and take a shower once I return home from working the test sites.How many people are on a curbside voting team?
Whenever we are handling a voted ballot, we need two poll workers involved in the process, for accountability.

What does it mean for someone convicted of a felony to be "Off Paper?"
Someone who has been convicted of a felony is "Off Paper" when they have completed all the terms of their sentence, including probation, parole, or extended supervision.  Once they are "Off Paper," they may register and vote.

Does the ineligible voter list only show felons who have completed their sentence?
No, the individuals on the list are currently serving a sentence, according to Department of Corrections records on the day the list was printed.

When a voter removes their ID from their wallet, is it okay for the poll worker to hold their ID for inspection?
No, especially not in the middle of a pandemic.  Instead, have the voter hold their ID up to the Plexiglas screen at the poll book table.

Will there be a watermark on the poll book for voters who may have moved?
This will be the same as the April Election.  If a voter was sent a mailing because the state had reason to believe they may have moved, and that voter has yet to confirm that they are still at the address where they are registered to vote, the poll book will have a watermark prompting the poll worker to ask the voter whether they have moved.  If the voter has not moved, signing the poll book provides the Clerk’s Office with confirmation of their address.

If a voter is unable to announce their name and address due to a disability, may they write it on a piece of paper and hand it to a poll worker or someone else to announce it for them?
Absolutely.  The voter may designate someone else to announce their name and address.

Are veteran IDs acceptable?
A Military ID that has been issued to a veteran is acceptable as long as it expires after the last November Election.  Military IDs without expiration dates are unexpired and are acceptable.  An ID issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs is acceptable as long as it is unexpired or has no expiration date.

We need to document if an absentee ballot has been hand-delivered to the polls.  Where and how do we document this?
The front page of the Absentee Inspectors' Statement asks you to list the names of voters whose absentee ballots were hand-delivered to the polls.  You would list the voter names there.

In light of the Governor's executive order that masks need to be worn in public places, does this change how we handle people who come to the polls without wearing a mask?
Nothing changes at the polls.  Even with a statewide face mask mandate, a mask is not one of the criteria required for voter eligibility.  We are not allowed to deny someone a ballot on the basis that they are not wearing a face mask.  We can require that all poll worker and observers wear face masks, but we can only recommend that voters wear one.  See additional guidance from the Wisconsin Elections Commission here.

Where do we note that someone was a curbside voter?
To document that someone voted at the curb of the polling place, write "Curbside" in the signature box on the poll book.

Why are you still holding an election if we are supposed to be social distancing?
Whether an election is held is not a local decision.

What if someone registering to vote wants to prove their address using a utility bill they receive via e-mail or a bank statement that is online?
That is fine.  The voter may bring up their proof of address on their smartphone, a laptop, or a tablet.  There is no reason for the poll workers to touch the voter's electronic device.  If the voter had printed out the electronic document and brought the printed version to the polls, that would be fine, too.

Do we need to tally the write-in votes for all of the offices that have no candidates on the ballot?
Yes, you do.  Write-ins are tallied separately for each party on the Partisan Primary ballot.  If a party has no candidates for an office, all write-in votes for that office are tallied.  Once the polls have closed, it may be easiest to separate the ballots by party before working on the write-in tally sheets.  No ballot sorting or write-in tally work should be done before the results are run at the end of the night.

Are there any official write-in candidates for this election?
There is one official write-in candidate for the 26th State Senate District: Kelly Lynn Tenpas.

What do we look for when checking a voter's ID?
1. Is is an acceptable type of ID?  2. Does the expiration date meet the requirements for that type of ID?  3. Does the name on the ID reasonably conform to the name on the poll book?  4. Does the image on the ID reasonably resemble the voter?

Do we need to see proof of current enrollment for voters using a college student ID card as their voter ID?
If the college student ID card is not expired, the voter does not need to show proof of current enrollment.  If the college student ID card is expired, the voter needs to show proof of current enrollment.

When did voters need to establish residency for this election?
The voter residency requirement is now 28 days.  Voters who moved on July 14 or earlier are eligible to vote from their new address.  Voters who moved on July 15 or later would only be eligible to vote from their previous address.

You said we shouldn't touch the voter's ID.  If we have a curbside voter, shouldn't we take their ID into the polling place?
No.  You are checking a curbside voter's ID at the curb.  There is no need to touch the ID or bring it into the polling location.

What if the address on a voter's ID is outdated?
When we are checking a voter's ID, we are verifying their identity.  We shouldn't even be looking at the address on the ID to verify identity.

What do we document at the bottom of the voter registration form?
Write down the one letter code for What the voter used to prove their address.  Write down Who issued the document the voter used to prove their address.  If the proof of address contained an account number the was at least 7 digits long, write down the last four digits of the account number.  If the proof of address contained an account number that was 6 or fewer digits long, write down the last two digits of the account number. 

What can be used as proof of address for a voter registration?
The voter will use a single document that lists the name and address shown on their voter registration form.  This can be an electronic document.  Acceptable documents are listed in the State Statutes.  Here's what we can accept:
A - Affidavit from a social service agency providing services to the homeless
B - Bank or credit union statement, credit card statement or mortgage statement
C - Care facility contract or intake document (acceptable even if it does not show voter's unit number)
G - Government document (public school, municipal, county, state, federal, or tribal government)
H - Certified housing list from the college or university
P - Paycheck
R - Residential lease
S - Edgewood College student ID with fee statement
T - Tax bill from this year or previous year
U - Utility bill
W - Wisconsin driver license or Wisconsin ID

Can you remind us of the courtesies we should take when a voter has a sight impairment?
Speak directly with the voter.  Do not shout!  Do not make assumptions; let the voter indicate whether they need any assistance.  If the voter has a guide dog, the dog is working and you should not interact with the dog.
 

I am torn between wanting to help facilitate the right to vote and needing to protect my health.
Whether you are able to work at the polls is a decision only you can make.  If you need to cancel your shift, we understand.  The earlier you notify us of a cancelation (by sending an e-mail message to madisonvotes@cityofmadison.com), the better.

What are the reasons an absentee ballot could be rejected?
The list of reasons an absentee would be rejected can be found on the front page of your Absentee Inspectors' Statement.  Here they are:

1. Voter signature is missing.  (Note: it does not need to be legible.)

2. Witness signature is missing. (Note: it does not need to be legible.)

3. Witness address is missing or incomplete.  (Note: if we can figure out the witness address, we are allowed to complete that information.)

4. There is evidence that the envelope seal has been tampered with or opened.  (Note: if a voter sealed their envelope with tape, that is not evidence of tampering.)

5. The voter is deceased.

6. The voter is not registered.  (Note: call the Clerk's Office first to verify.)

7. The voter has already voted in this election, e.g., a voter who is overseas and returned both an official ballot and a Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot would only have the official ballot counted.

How will voters know that they can use their own pen?
The Clerk's Office will be publicizing this closer to Election Day.  The Clerk's Office will also be providing signage for at the polls.

Anyone who sneezes or coughs into a tissue should wash their hands or sanitize their hands after throwing away the tissue.
True.

Can we skip checking IDs this election?
No.  Have the voter hold out their ID so you can check it.  There is no need to touch the ID as you look at it.  If you are near-sighted, checking IDs might not be a good task for you on Election Day.

Should poll workers use only one pen and keep that pen with them for the entire day?
Yes.

Can voters use their own pens to sign the poll book?
Absolutely.