Fall Election

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So, here we are, four years on...and, for many, the intervening time has felt like 400 years. If you haven't already done your part in 2020 by using any of the options to cast your vote ahead of Election Day, grab a mask and head to the polls Tuesday between 7 am and 8 pm. See your local clerk's web page to find the most up-to-date information on polling places and requirements; other good references for information are myvote.wi.gov (where you can check if your absentee ballot has been received) and the League of Women Voters of Dane County website (including its Candidates' Answers questionnaire for local races). If you received an absentee ballot in the mail and did not return it, it can still be turned in at your polling place on Election Day (or at any in-person absentee voting location, through Nov. 1). Need a way to get to the polls? Get a free ride from Union Cab (call 608-242-2000), via the Urban League (608-729-1200) or ride a BCycle (promo code 110320 for a free pass). If you've voted, settle in, remain calm, and don't panic if the results aren't known for a couple days. Read on for much more info from various sources.

Voters go to the polls between 7 am-8 pm, 11/3. For polling places/ballot info: cityofmadison.com/clerk or clerk.countyofdane.com. 608-266-4601.

On November 3, Election Day, BCycle will offer free day passes all day. Just enter promo code 110320 at any kiosk or online to access free 60-minute trips.

The Urban League is helping coordinate FREE rides to the poll. Rides will be available 8 AM to 8 PM on election day. Rides are also available for early voting. Call the Urban League at (608) 729-1200 to schedule your ride. Mask required for all riders. 

Get a free ride from Union Cab (call 608-242-2000).

Nov. 2 update from the Madison City Clerk's Office:

The City of Madison Clerk’s Office would like voters to know ten things for this Tuesday’s election:

1.    Some polling places have changed since the last Presidential Election.  To verify your polling location, visit myvote.wi.gov.

2.    If you have a question or need help, ask a poll worker.  We work to keep our elections transparent.  Poll workers are happy to answer your questions as long as the questions are not political in nature.  The Clerk’s Office is available to answer your questions, too.

3.    If you are in line to vote at 8:00 pm, stay in line.  A poll worker will stand at the end of the line to make sure everyone who was at the polling place before the polls closed gets an opportunity to vote.

4.    Don’t let a lack of Voter ID keep you from going to the polls.  Voters without acceptable ID may vote provisionally.  Provisional voters who get a copy of their ID to the Clerk’s Office by 4:00 pm on Friday, Nov. 6 will have their ballot counted by the Board of Canvassers that evening.  The Dane County Voter ID Coalition can help you obtain a free Wisconsin ID.  Their hotline is (608) 285-2141.

5.    The address on your Voter ID does not matter.  When checking Voter ID, poll workers are only verifying your identity.  They are not checking the address on your ID.

6.    There is no requirement that your Voter ID meet federal REAL ID requirements.  If you renewed your Wisconsin driver license or Wisconsin ID and did not have all the certified documents required for a REAL ID, the DMV would have informed you that your new ID is “non-compliant” with the REAL ID Act of 2005.  Even “non-compliant” Wisconsin ID cards are acceptable for proving your identity at the polls.

7.    Certain types of Voter ID can be expired.  If you are using a Wisconsin driver license, a Wisconsin ID, a U.S. passport, or a military ID to prove your identity at the polls, the ID can have an expiration date of 11/07/2018 or later.

8.    Someone convicted of a felony may vote once they’ve served their sentence and are Off Paper.  Wisconsin restores civil rights – including voting rights – to felons who complete the terms of their sentence, including probation, parole, and/or extended supervision.  They will just need to re-register to vote at the polls with proof of address.

9.    Proof of address is only needed when you are registering to vote or updating your voter registration. If you are registering to vote at the polls on Election Day, your proof of address may be shown in an electronic format, e.g., bringing up your library account on your cell phone or showing poll workers your online utility bill. If you have changed your name, you won’t need to update your voter registration until you obtain an ID with that new name.  

10. Do not hesitate to contact the Clerk’s Office.  If you have a question or encounter a problem at your polling place, please let us know right away by calling (608) 266-4601. 

The city of Madison is taking many precautions to make Tuesday’s Presidential Election safe and accessible.

Curbside voting will be available at all polling locations for voters with health concerns. A team of poll workers wearing yellow safety vests will be watching for curbside voters near a large flag that says Vote Here. If a curbside voter wishes to use their own ballpoint pen, they should wave the pen at the poll worker approaching their vehicle. Poll workers will check the voter’s ID through the car window. If a curbside voter needs to register, poll workers will be able to check the voter’s proof of address through the car window. The voter will mark their ballot in their vehicle, and poll workers will insert the ballot into the tabulator to be counted. The Clerk’s Office encourages anyone with the following symptoms (or in close contact with someone who has the following symptoms) to vote curbside:

• Shortness of breath
• Cough
• Fever
• Nasal congestion
• Sore throat
• Achiness

Inside the polling place, Plexiglas screens will offer additional protection at stations where voters and poll workers interact within six (6) feet of each other. Poll workers checking voter ID will compare the voter’s eyes with the image on the voter’s ID. Poll workers checking voter ID will not ask voters to remove their facemasks.

Each polling location will have hand sanitizer available for voters and poll workers at the entrance and exit to the polling place. Hand sanitizer will be kept away from the ballot table because wet ballots shred in the tabulator.

Voters are encouraged to wear facemasks.All poll workers will be wearing facemasks. The City will provide poll workers with facemasks, but poll workers may wear their own mask from home as long as it does not have a political or vulgar design. 

The floor will be marked with painter’s tape to help voters maintain six (6) feet of social distancing while in line. Due to the need for social distancing, even a short line of voters could extend outside of the room where voting takes place. When selecting a voting booth, voters should stay at least six feet away from other voters who are not members of their own household.

Voters may use their own blue or black ballpoint pens to sign the poll book and mark their ballot. Voters who need to register to vote on Election Day can minimize the amount of time they need to spend at the polls by bringing a completed voter registration form with them to the polls.

Voters who still need to return their absentee ballot may deliver it to their polling location or have a friend, neighbor or family member deliver their ballot to the correct polling location. The ballot must be sealed in its certificate envelope bearing the voter’s signature, the signature of a witness, and the witness’ address. Curbside poll workers will accept the absentee envelope and take it into the polling place to be processed.

Poll workers will disinfect voting booths, pens, and touchscreens after each use. They will also continuously disinfect high-touch surfaces.  Doors will be propped open where possible. AN hourly safety checklist will be used by poll workers to check for proper social distancing and that poll workers are wearing masks correctly.

Poll workers scheduled to work shifts on Tuesday will be asked health-screening questions provided by Public Health Madison & Dane County to determine whether they are able to work on Tuesday. Their shift will be cancelled if any of the following apply:

• Fever in the past 72 hours
• Fever-reducing medication in the past 72 hours
• Chills or body aches within the past 72 hours
• A cough within the past week
• Difficulty breathing in the past week
• Sore throat in the past week
• Cold-like or flu-like symptoms in the past week

Additional signage will promote wearing facial coverings in the polling place, encourage social distancing, and alert voters that poll workers may be using latex gloves.

Oct. 29 update from the city of Madison (updated on Nov. 2): Election officials are only able to count absentee ballots that are received by Election Day, per state law. Voters who have yet to return an absentee ballot to the Clerk’s Office have these options remaining:

1. Drop of the absentee ballot in one of the 14 secure ballot drop boxes around the City of Madison. Most drop boxes are located at Madison Fire Stations. Voters have until 5:00pm on Monday, November 2, to return their ballot to a drop box.
2. Drop off the absentee ballot at the City Clerk’s Office on Monday, November 2, 8:00am – 4:30pm.
3. Drop off the absentee ballot at the voter’s polling location on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 7:00am – 8:00pm. Many polling locations have changed due to the pandemic. Voters may verify their polling location for Tuesday’s election at www.cityofmadison.com/WhereDoIVote.
4. Destroy the absentee received in the mail, and vote at the polls on Election Day. Voters may verify their polling location for Tuesday’s election at www.cityofmadison.com/WhereDoIVote.

Voters may track the status of their absentee ballot at https://MyVote.wi.gov .

Oct. 27 update from the city of Madison: Today is the first day hospitalized voters can appoint an agent to retrieve their Presidential Election absentee ballot from the City of Madison Clerk’s Office, deliver the ballot to the hospital, and then return the ballot to the City Clerk’s Office. The hospitalized absentee voting process is available until 5:00 pm on Election Day.

Hospitalized voters may appoint an agent and request a hospitalized absentee ballot by completing the form pdf  provided by the Clerk’s Office.

The hospitalized voter may appoint anyone as their agent.  The agent delivers the absentee request to the Clerk’s Office and presents both the agent’s ID and a copy of the voter’s ID to Clerk’s Office staff.  If the voter needs to register or update their voter registration, the agent will bring a completed voter registration application and proof of the voter’s address to the Clerk’s Office.

The Clerk’s Office will issue an absentee ballot, absentee envelope, and instructions for the hospitalized voter.  The agent delivers this packet of materials to the voter at the hospital.

The hospitalized voter may choose anyone who is not a candidate on the ballot to be their witness.  The witness may be the voter’s agent.  The voter shows the witness that the ballot is not marked, and then uses a blue or black ballpoint pen to mark the ballot in the presence of that witness.  They should be far enough away from the witness that the candidates selected are not known to the witness.

The voter will fold the ballot and seal it in the absentee envelope in the presence of the witness.  The voter will read the voter statement on the front of the absentee envelope and will sign or make their mark on the envelope.  The witness will read the witness certification statement, sign, and write their street address below their witness signature.

The agent will deliver the sealed absentee envelope to the Clerk’s Office.  The Clerk’s Office sends all absentee ballots to the polls to be counted on Election Day. In order for an absentee ballot to count, it must be returned early enough that the Clerk’s Office receives it by Election Day. The absentee envelope must be sealed, and the voter’s signature, the witness signature, and the witness address must be present on the envelope.

Oct. 16 update from the Madison City Clerk's Office:

The city of Madison Clerk’s Office has purchased 14 secure ballot drop boxes that are being placed at 13 Madison Fire stations and at Elver Park shelter. Installation of the boxes should be completed by city of Madison engineering crews this afternoon. The drop boxes are made for the sole purpose of ballot collection, and are manufactured with a minimum of ¼” steel. The seams are fully welded to prevent damage and tampering.

The last ballot box pick-up will occur by 5:00pm the day before Election Day, and the slots will be closed and locked at that time. Voters will be directed to drop their absentee ballot off at their polling place on Election Day if they still have it.

Anticipating that these boxes will be a very popular option for city of Madison absentee voters this weekend, the City Clerk’s Office has scheduled two pick-ups for each location this Saturday and Sunday: the first pick-up will happen by 1:00pm and the second pick-up will happen by 5:00pm. Clerk’s Office staff will determine if more than one pick-up time will be necessary after this weekend.

Sworn election officials will pick-up ballots from the secure drop boxes and deliver them directly back to the Clerk’s Office. The election officials will be wearing city of Madison Clerk high-visibility vests and nametags. They will count the number of ballots they are picking up, place them in a bag and secure the bag with a tamper-evident seal. The number of ballots and the seal number of the bag will be noted on the chain of custody form specific to that ballot box location. The chain of custody form will be returned back to the Clerk’s Office with the ballots, and Clerk’s Office staff will confirm the seal number of the bag and the number of ballots returned.

The city of Madison absentee ballot drop boxes are for city of Madison voters. Voters in other municipalities should seek information from their own municipal clerk about how to safely return their absentee ballot.

The City Clerk’s Office would like to thank the Department of Planning, the Madison Fire Department, Madison Parks, City of Madison Traffic Engineering, and city of Madison Engineering for all of their help in determining locations and in coordinating the installation of the drop boxes.

City of Madison Absentee Ballot Drop Box Locations

Station 1: 316 W Dayton St, Box is located just east of the main driveway.

Station 2: 421 Grand Canyon Dr, Box is located on west side of Grand Teton Pkwy before the station’s back driveway.

Station 3: 1217 Williamson St., Box is located in small garden just outside station front door. Walk-up traffic only.

Station 4: 1437 Monroe St., Box is located just east of driveway right across from the badger at Camp Randall. Just beneath the Madison: Solar America City sign.

Station 5: 4418 Cottage Grove Road, Box is located on Atlas Ave between the bus stop and the station’s back driveway.

Station 6: 825 W Badger Road, Box is located behind station on west side of Perry St just south of Madison College driveway.

Station 8: 3945 Lien Road, Box is located east of station on east side of Parkside Dr.

Station 9: 201 N Midvale Blvd. Box is located behind station on west side of Meadow Ln.

Station 10: 1517 Troy Drive, Box is located on north side of station near the intersection of Troy Dr and Hanover St.

Station 11: 4011 Morgan Way, Box is located behind station on east side of Crossing Pl between station driveway and intersection of Crossing Pl and Nelson Rd.

Station 12: 400 South Point Road, Box is located just north of station on South Point Rd near intersection of South Point Rd and Briar Haven Dr.

Station 13: 6350 Town Center Drive, Box is located just east of station driveway on north side of Town Center Dr.

Station 14: 3201 Dairy Drive, Box is located just north of station driveway near intersection of Dairy Dr and Prairie Dock Dr.

Elver Park Shelter: 1250 McKenna Blvd., Box is located in island of the circle drive near the park shelter.

Info from the League of Women Voters of Dane County:

Make sure you have everything you need to be able to vote in the next election. To check your registration, find election dates, request an absentee ballot, confirm your polling place, or start the registration process go to MyVote.wi.gov.

What you need to know about voter registration:

If you have moved or are new to Wisconsin, you need to register.

•      Wisconsin now has online voter registration! If you have a current, valid Wisconsin driver license (DL) or WI ID card and your current name and address are in the Division of Motor Vehicles data base, you can register online up to 20 days before an election. If you need to update your address at the DMV you can do that at tinyurl.com/DMVchanges. Then complete your registration at MyVote.wi.gov. The address on your physical DL or ID does not matter and does not need to be changed.

•      Don't have a current WI driver license or ID card? You can register in person at your clerk's office  until the Friday before the election or at an in-person absentee early voting location.  Madison residents can also register at any Madison Public Library.  You will need to show proof of residence (POR) when registering.

•      Register by mail: Voters can register by mail until 20 days before Election Day. You will need to include a copy of your proof of residence and send the completed application to your municipal clerk's office.

•      If registering in person or by mail you can use a paper form or complete one online at MyVote.wi.gov and print it.

•      For examples of acceptable POR go to Proof-of-Residence-Guide.

An approved photo ID will be required when voting: 

You can use a Wisconsin driver license, a Wisconsin state ID card, a US passport, or military ID with expiration dates of November 6, 2018, or later. A Veterans Affairs card that is unexpired or has no expiration date can also be used. The address on a photo ID does not have to be current. Out-of-state IDs/DLs are not acceptable. For a complete list of approved photo IDs go to www.bringitwisconsin.com/.

If you don’t have an acceptable photo ID you can get a free ID at the DMV. Be aware that If you have an out-of-state driver license you would have to surrender that license to get the WI ID or a WI DL. Anyone who needs help getting an ID or a ride to the DMV can call the Dane County ID Coalition at 608-285-2141 for assistance. If you are sixty or older RSVP is another option for a ride to DMV (in Madison call 608-441-7898).

Non-expiring ID cards are available for people age 65 and older who are no longer driving. For information about the DMV process see wisconsindot.gov. The West Madison DMV Service Center is  located at 8417 Excelsior Drive and the East Madison center is at 2001 Bartillon Drive.

Seniors and people with disabilities who vote by permanent absentee ballot are exempt from the photo ID requirement. To apply for a permanent absentee ballot, contact your municipal clerk. The website for the City of Madison clerk is www.cityofmadison.com/election and the phone number is 608-266-4601.

For more information go to www.lwvdanecounty.org/voting-information