Madison Absentee and Early Voting Information

Interested voters are encouraged to act now to vote absentee for the Tuesday, August 13 Partisan Primary.

Polls will obviously be open on Election Day, but voters may choose to vote absentee for this election. For that to happen, you should request an absentee ballot as soon as possible, or consider In-Person Absentee Voting. If you plan to vote on Election Day, please check  MyVote.wi.gov to verify your polling place, as some locations have changed for this election.

In-Person Voting

In-person absentee voting for the August 13 Partisan Primary begins today.

“Avoid lines at the polls on election day and visit one of our local libraries to cast your ballot early,” said Mayor Rhodes-Conway. “In-person absentee voting has begun. You can also have a ballot mailed to your home.”

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 Clerk's Office.
9. 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.
10. Two election officials in the City Clerk's Office will verify the serial number on the tamper-evident seal.
11. Your ballot stays sealed in its envelope until counted at your polling place on Election Day.
12. 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.

In-person voting locations convenient to District 19 residents include the following:

Alicia Ashman Library
733 N High Point Rd
11 a.m. – 5 p.m. weekdays, July 30 - August 9
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturdays, August 3 & 10

Lussier Community Education Center
55 S Gammon Rd
9 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, July 31 & August 7

The goal of the City Clerk’s Office is that each eligible voter will be able to cast a ballot and have that ballot counted.

Follow this link for the full list of early voting locations.

The  Dane County Voter ID Coalition is available to help voters apply for a free Wisconsin ID card, including arranging free transportation to the Division of Motor Vehicles. The Dane County Voter ID Coalition hotline is (608) 285-2141.

How to Request an Absentee Ballot

There are several ways registered voters can request absentee ballots. The easiest way is to sign up at  MyVote.wi.gov.

Just look for the “Vote Absentee By Mail” button near the top of the page. On a mobile phone, use the menu button in the upper right corner of the website. There is a three-step process that starts with entering your name and date of birth, followed by requesting your ballot. If you don’t already have a  photo ID on file with the City Clerk’s Office, you can upload a copy. Mobile phone users can take a picture and upload it to  MyVote. Absentee ballot requests submitted this way go directly to the City Clerk’s Office, and you can track your ballot by returning to the  website.

Voters can also request absentee ballots by mailing the City Clerk’s Office. Detailed absentee voting information is available here. These requests must be accompanied by a copy of your  photo ID. If you already have a photo ID on file from previous absentee requests under your current registration, you will not need to provide it again.

The deadline for registered voters to request an absentee ballot be mailed to you is the Thursday before the election, August 8. However, voters should not wait, due to possible delays in mail delivery. If you get an absentee ballot mailed to you, you can still decide to vote at the polls on Election Day if you haven’t returned it.

Your absentee ballot must be received in the City Clerk’s Office or at your polling place by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, August 13. Again, please request and return ballots as soon as possible.