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City of Madison

In-Person Absentee Voting Begins Today

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Front doors of the Memorial Union with polling place sign

For Immediate Release
March 18, 2024

In-person absentee voting for the April 1 election begins today. The Madison Clerk’s Office offers dozens of early voting opportunities. 

“Madison offers in-person absentee voting at convenient locations across the city. This is a great way to exercise your civic duty at a time that’s convenient for you,” says Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. “Voting early is an excellent way to avoid Election Day lines while making sure your voice is heard.”   

The following process is used at each absentee site: 

  1. The absentee clerk gives you an absentee envelope. Write your name, address, and date of birth on the envelope.
  2. The absentee clerk checks your voter ID. They stamp the City Clerk's initials on your absentee envelope to say you proved your identity.
  3. The absentee clerk verifies that you are registered to vote. They process your absentee request in the state system. The absentee clerk prints a label that they affix to your absentee envelope. They ask you to verify that your name and address on the label are correct.
  4. The absentee clerk stamps Absentee on your ballot card. They write your ward number and stamp the City Clerk’s initials on your card. They activate your ballot card on the ExpressVote accessible voting device. The ExpressVote offers large print, high contrast, and a Braille keypad. It is compatible with Sip & Puff devices. It also offers Spanish translation.
  5. The absentee clerk steps back to give you privacy. Follow the ExpressVote prompts to select the candidates of your choice. 
  6. Review and approve your selections on the touchscreen. You may insert your ballot card back into the ExpressVote to review your selections. You may also read the selections the ExpressVote printed on your ballot card.
  7. Fold your ballot card in half and seal it in your absentee envelope.
  8. Sign your envelope in the presence of the absentee clerk. The absentee clerk signs as your witness. They also print their name and stamp the address of the absentee voting site. 

Your absentee will be delivered to the Clerk's Office when voting ends for the day. The absentee clerk and the courier will verify and document the number of absentees for the day. The tamper-evident seal used to secure the courier bag has a unique serial number. The absentee clerk and courier will verify and document that number. 

When the courier delivers the courier bag to the Clerk’s Office, two Chief Inspectors will verify the serial number on the tamper-evident seal. They also verify the number of absentee envelopes sealed inside the courier bag. 

Your ballot stays sealed in its envelope until counted at your polling place on Election Day. On Election Day, poll workers will verify that your absentee envelope is complete. They will check you into the poll book and assign you a voter number. They will insert your ballot into the tabulator to be counted. Poll workers process absentees in groups of at least three, to protect the secrecy of each ballot. 

You may register to vote, with proof of address, at any absentee voting location. There is no voter registration the Saturday, Sunday, or Monday before Election Day. Voters who received their absentees by mail can also return them to any IPAV location during hours of operation.  

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