Voter Correspondence
It's an even-numbered year, the weather is hot, and your mailbox is overflowing with political advertisements. You didn't sign up for this and you're wondering how they even got your address (read about that here). Since the 2010 Citizen's United v. Federal Election Commission ruling, campaign advertising has exploded. Some third-party mailpieces even include unsolicited election application forms and look like they are coming from an official source, which can raise suspicions and cast doubt on the election process (read about that here and here). We know that this deluge of mail can be frustrating, but please know that the Wisconsin Elections Commission and your local municipal clerk will only send you mail when it is absolutely necessary.
Look for the Official Election Mail logo!
The Official Election Mail logo is reserved exclusively for governmental election offices to use on correspondence with citizens of the United States for the purpose of participating in the voting process. Election officials may not always include this logo, but if you see it, you know that it is election mail – not political mail. The logo helps voters and letter carriers alike distinguish this official communication from the torrent of mail sent by candidates, PACs, and other advocacy groups.
The logo can be used on any sort of mail that enables voter participation like registration and absentee applications, balloting materials, polling place notifications, and other important messages. It should only come from a unit of government that administrates elections.
So what do we send?
The Wisconsin Elections Commission will only send you correspondence about your registration status or respond to requests that come from you.
Eligible, but Unregistered (EBU) Postcard
These postcards are sent every even year prior to a General Election. The people who receive this postcard have been issued either a driver license or state ID card from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) that could not be matched to an active voter record in WisVote. The postcard asks the voter to register or check their registration status on myvote.wi.gov. The postcard also includes a toll-free number which routes them to the WEC Help Desk.
These mailings are not tracked in WisVote and will not result in any voters being deactivated.
People who receive the postcard may choose to register by mail, at their clerk’s office, at their polling place on Election Day, or on MyVote.wi.gov. The postcard can be used as proof of residence (POR) if the name and address on the postcard match the information on the registration form.
- No action necessary if the card is returned undeliverable
- If voters inquire, direct them to registration resources, in-person, on paper or via MyVote.wi.gov
- If voters use this card as proof of residence (POR), mark the POR Type of “Other Government Document” and POR Entity of WEC in WisVote. It is not necessary to enter a POR Account # since there is no account or tracking number on the card
Voter Verification & Election Day Registration Postcard
These postcards are sent out to anyone that registers to vote by mail, online at MyVote.wi.gov, or on Election Day. They are sent as an additional registration verification mechanism.
If the information on the postcard is correct, then no further action is necessary. Voters should contact their clerk if they notice any inaccurate information.
- Review returned postcards for data entry errors. Update the voter registration if needed and have the WEC Help Desk send another verification postcard.
- Record all returned EDR postcards on WisVote
- Additional information is available in the WisVote manual Section 2.7 and in the EDR instructions.
Movers Notification Postcard
Postcards are mailed to Wisconsin residents who were identified as potentially moving in the previous quarter. Information from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the National Change of Address database and other states is used to generate these mailings.
The postcards are mailed quarterly and can be identified by the “Have you moved?” header. The Postcard directs the voter to affirm their current address if it has not changed or reregister at their new address.
Voters who have not moved may affirm their current address by signing and returning the postcard, visiting MyVote.wi.gov, or voting in the next election where they can confirm with poll workers that their address has not changed. Voters who have moved may reregister by mail, at their clerk’s office, at their polling place on Election Day, or on MyVote.wi.gov.
- Mark the Mail record if the postcard is returned (Mailings tile on WisVote)
- Send Undeliverable 30-day Notice letter as necessary (available on Voter Record-Letters)
- Additional information is available on WisVote News and in related Clerk Communications
4-Year Maintenance (4YM) Postcard
The Wisconsin Elections Commission sends these out in the odd-numbered years to voters who have not voted in the previous four years. Voters who receive this postcard can sign and return it if they want to stay registered to vote. If the clerk does not receive the response by July 15 of an odd-numbered year, the voter’s registration will be deactivated. Voters can reregister (if they still meet Wisconsin's voting requirements) online, by mail, at your clerk's office, and at their polling place on Election Day.
People who receive the postcard and want to keep their voter record active can sign and return it by the July 15 deadline. They may also choose to reregister by mail, at their clerk’s office, or at their polling place on Election Day, or on MyVote.wi.gov.
- Mark the Mail record if the postcard is returned (Mailings tile on WisVote) by the deadline
- If voters inquire, direct them to registration resources, in-person, on paper or via MyVote.wi.gov
- Additional information is available on WisVote News and in related Clerk Communications