Mail It Back Monday – Make Sure Your Absentee Counts
posted
The City of Madison Clerk’s Office has issued absentee ballots to 24,492 voters for the April 1 election. Only 806 of those absentees have been returned to the Clerk’s Office.
If you plan to return your absentee ballot through the mail, the Clerk’s Office strongly encourages you to do so as soon as possible. The Clerk’s Office has been hearing from voters that it can take between 10 to 14 days for their absentee ballot to be delivered to the Clerk’s Office.
Absentee ballots received after Election Day cannot be counted, regardless of the postmark. On Election Day, the Clerk’s Office delivers your absentee ballot to your designated polling place to be counted.
The absentee envelope needs to be:
- Sealed
- Signed by the voter
- Signed by the voter’s witness
- Bearing the printed name of the witness
- Filled out with the witness’ address
If you have yet to return your absentee ballot, you have a few options:
- Mail the absentee back to the Clerk’s Office as soon as possible.
- Deliver the absentee to Clerk’s Office personnel at any City of Madison in-person absentee voting site during voting hours. In-person absentee voting begins Tuesday, March 18.
- Use one of Madison's 14 secure ballot drop boxes. A team of two poll workers empties the drop boxes daily. The drop boxes are available until 5 p.m. the day before the election.
- If you decide to vote at the polls instead, destroy the absentee that was mailed to you.
The state requires you to return your own ballot. Under the Voting Rights Act, if you need help mailing or delivering your ballot due to a disability, you may get help from a person of your choice. The person providing help may not be your employer, agent of your employer, or officer or agent of your union.
Voters who have returned their absentee ballot cannot vote at the polls on Election Day.
Departments:
