La versión en español de esta guía está aquí.
Beyond high-profile races for the state Supreme Court and state superintendent of public instruction, Madison residents on April 1 will decide their new slate of alders, a contested school board race, and who will serve a four-year term as Dane County executive.
This guide to the Spring 2025 election breaks down what voters need to know, whether they plan to vote early or on Election Day. We have included websites where voters can find out their polling place and see what’s on their ballot. With this resource citizens should have what they need to exercise their right to vote, and there should be no surprises at the ballot box.
Constitutional amendment
There is one proposed amendment to the state Constitution on the ballot. Everyone in Wisconsin will vote on the following ballot referendum:
Question 1. “Photographic identification for voting. Shall section 1m of article III of the constitution be created to require that voters present valid photographic identification verifying their identity in order to vote in any election, subject to exceptions which may be established by law?”
If voters approve the question, it will be enshrined in the state Constitution that voters must show a photographic ID card — such as a driver’s license or free voter ID card issued by the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles — to cast a ballot. If voters were unable to present such identification on Election Day, they would be permitted to cast a provisional ballot, but would need to present identification at a later time for that ballot to be counted.
Voters in Wisconsin are already required under state law to present a photo ID in order to vote. This amendment would include that requirement in the state Constitution, protecting it from modifications by the state Legislature or by court action, according to Votebeat.
Republicans call the measure a necessary step for maintaining voting security, given that the state Supreme Court could strike the statute down, and note that the amendment would not change existing state voter ID law.
“What is considered a valid ID would still be considered a valid ID if this amendment would be ratified,” Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine said during a Jan. 7 meeting of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
Democrats and organizations such as the Wisconsin chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union and League of Women Voters oppose the measure, saying it would protect an overly strict voter ID requirement in the state.
“While the amendment would not significantly alter the current voter ID law, it would make it harder to remove the photo ID requirement and limit the court's ability to protect voters disenfranchised by the law,” the League said.
City council
There are 14 contested city council races on Madison voters’ ballots. Alds. Juliana Bennett, Nasra Wehelie, Marsha Rummel, Jael Currie, Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford and Charles Myadze are not running for reelection.
Alds. John Duncan, Derek Field, MGR Govindarajan and Bill Tishler are running for reelection unopposed. District 6 candidate Davy Mayer is running for election unopposed. District 15 candidate Ryan Koglin, who faces no other opponents, is endorsed by Martinez-Rutherford, who suspended her campaign on Jan. 18. The contested races are:
District 2: Matt Egerer | William Ochowicz
District 4: Ald. Michael Verveer | Elias Tsarovsky
District 5: Ald. Regina Vidaver | Ulrike Dieterle
District 7: Badri Lankella | Abdirahman Siad
District 9: Ald. Nikki Conklin | Joann Pritchett
District 10: Ald. Yannette Figueroa Cole | Lisa Veldran
District 12: Ald. Amani Latimer Burris | Julia Matthews
District 13: Ald. Tag Evers | Robert Luther
District 14: Ald. Isadore Knox Jr. | Noah Lieberman
District 16: Sean O’Brien | Kim Richman
District 17: Ald. Sabrina Madison | Sean Burke
District 18: Carmella Glenn | Kevin Monroe
District 19: Ald. John Guequierre | Anthony Nino Amato
District 20: Ald. Barbara Harrington-McKinney | Sammy Khilji
You can find your city council district using the map linked here.
Dane County Board of Supervisors
Supv. Erin Welsh, who filled a vacancy left by Supv. Cecely Castillo, is running unopposed for a one-year term to represent District 7.
Supv. Keith Furman, who filled a vacancy left by Supv. Aaron Collins, is running unopposed for a one-year term to represent District 10.
Madison School Board
Three school board seats are up for election in April, but only one race is contested. Two candidates look to replace retiring board member Laura Simkin: disability rights advocate Martha Siravo and engineer Bret Wagner. School board President Nichelle Nichols and board member Ali Mudrow are both running for reelection unopposed. The winner of the race will serve a three-year term.
State superintendent of public instruction
Two candidates seek to become Wisconsin’s new superintendent of public instruction: incumbent Dr. Jill Underly and Brittany Kinser, an educational consultant and charter school advocate. The winner of the race will serve a four-year term.
County executive
This April, incumbent Dane County Executive Melissa Agard faces one challenger: Stephen W. Ratzlaff Jr. of DeForest, who ran for the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2021 as an independent. The nonpartisan race’s winner will serve a four-year term.
Supreme Court
With only two candidates in the race, there was no primary for retiring Justice Ann Walsh Bradley’s Supreme Court seat. The April election between Dane County Judge Susan Crawford and Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel will determine whether liberal justices maintain their 4-3 majority, in place since the 2023 election of Justice Janet Protasiewicz. The winner of the race will serve a 10-year term.
Voting on Election Day
I’m already registered
If you’re already registered to vote, you can show up to vote in-person on Election Day, April 1. MyVote WI has a tool to check whether you’re registered and at what address. You can also check where your polling place is and what’s on your ballot. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. You will need to bring a photo ID, which does not need to show your current address.
You can also prepare and bring notes about who you want to vote for into the booth. You can take and share photos of yourself voting, but cannot show your marked ballot to others. And if you have a disability, you can vote “curbside,” in your vehicle or at the entrance to the polling place, with the assistance of poll workers.
I need to register
If you’re not registered to vote, you can register at your polling place on Election Day. In order to register, you will need proof of residence. The Madison City Clerk’s Office maintains a list of what counts as valid proof of residence, such as pay stubs or a bank statement, which can be shown in either paper or electronic form. UW and Madison College students can verify their residence through their student center portals (UW | Madison College). MG&E customers can login to their account and show their electronic utility bill.
Online and mail registration end on March 12, but voters who still need to register can do so in person at any in-person absentee voting locations (list) until 5 p.m. on March 28 or register at the polls on Election Day. State law prevents residents from registering to vote on the Saturday, Sunday or Monday before the election.
Voting Before Election Day
I’m already registered
Vote by mail: If you are registered to vote, you can request an absentee ballot and return the completed ballot by mail or in-person to the City Clerk’s Office at 210 Martin Luther King Blvd. Your request for an absentee ballot must be received by the City Clerk’s Office by 5 p.m. on March 27, and your completed ballot must be received by the City Clerk’s Office by 8 p.m. on Election Day for it to count.
If you return your absentee ballot by mail, the City Clerk’s Office recommends sending it at least one week before Election Day. You can also bring your completed ballot to your polling place on Election Day.
Vote early in-person: Early in-person voting, also called in-person absentee voting, runs March 18 through March 30. To vote early in person, you will need to bring a photo ID. The City Clerk’s Office maintains a list of in-person absentee voting locations and the hours they are open.
I need to register
Register in person: You can register to vote at any in-person absentee voting location (list) until March 28. In order to register, you will need to bring proof of residence. The Madison City Clerk’s Office maintains a list of what counts as valid proof of residence, such as a pay stub or a bank statement, which can be shown in either paper or electronic form. UW and Madison College students can verify their residence through their student center portals (UW | Madison College). MG&E customers can login to their account and show their electronic utility bill.
Register online or by mail: Online and mail registration closes on March 12, per a state law that only allows in-person registration for 20 days before an election.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t have a photo ID. How do I get one?
The city maintains a list of the documentation you will need to apply for a voter ID, including proof of citizenship, residence, identity, and name and date of birth.
The Dane County Voter ID Coalition — a collaboration between the League of Women Voters Dane County and the Dane County NAACP — is helping voters get IDs ahead of the election, providing transportation and help with the application at two Madison DMV locations. If you have more questions, you can call or text the Voter Helpline at 608-285-2141.
Where do I vote? What is going to be on my ballot?
Find where to vote here. See what will be on your ballot here.
Can I return my ballot via drop box?
The Wisconsin Supreme Court restored the ability to return absentee ballots to an absentee ballot drop box in July 2024. In the city of Madison, you can drop your ballot off at any of the city’s 14 fire stations or at the Elver Park shelter. A full list of Madison drop box locations is available here.
How can I find out about the candidates?
WORT-FM has conducted interviews with many city council candidates, which you can find here.
Isthmus coverage of the Supreme Court race is here.
Ballotpedia provides information on the state Supreme Court and state superintendent of public instruction races.
Who is funding the candidates?
You can view finance reports for state campaigns using the Wisconsin Campaign Finance Information System here.
City of Madison campaign finance reports are available here.
Dane County candidate finance forms are available here.
Other voting guides
The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin’s voting guide can be found here. A Spanish version of the League of Women Voters’ guide is available here.
Other resources
Voters can also get help in Spanish or English on general voting questions by calling the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin’s Voter Helpline at 608-285-2141.
