What to Know About Observers

Voters may notice individuals wearing Election Observer badges at in-person absentee voting sites or at the polls.

Wisconsin allows anyone to observe the voting process as long as they are not a candidate on the ballot. Political parties, individual candidates, and organizations such as the League of Women Voters often send observers to absentee voting sites and the polls. The City of Madison often gets international observers for November elections. The observer process helps keep our elections transparent.

Observers check-in with the absentee clerk or the polling place Chief Inspector, who welcomes them and thanks them for being part of the election process. Observers watch the election process in a designated area three to eight feet away from the election worker. The amount of space available at each site may limit the number of people who can observe.

Observers may not interact with voters unless a voter initiates the conversation. Observers may not take photos or video during voting hours. They may not hold telephone conversations in the voting site. If they have any questions, the questions must be directed to the absentee clerk or the polling place Chief Inspector.

Although observers are watching what occurs at absentee sites and the polls, they may not examine documents containing personally identifiable information – driver licenses, ID cards, passports, voter registration forms, proof of resident documents, or the confidential voter page of the poll book.

If an observer fails to follow the rules or becomes disruptive, the election official gives them one warning. If the observer does not comply, they are removed from the voting site.

Electioneering and voter intimidation are prohibited at all voting sites.

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.