| Wisconsin Elections Commission

Badger Book Resources

WEC Newsletter Volume III, Issue XX

Friday, December 15, 2023

WEC Newsletter Volume III, Issue XV WEC Newsletter Volume III, Issue XX December 15, 2023 Happy Holidays! Did you know that many of the aluminum Christmas trees that adorned countless living rooms in the 1960s and ‘70s were produced right here in Wisconsin? Thank you all for your continued hard work

WEC Newsletter Volume III, Issue XIX

Friday, November 17, 2023

WEC Newsletter Volume III, Issue XIX November 17, 2023 Happy Veterans Day! Wisconsin is home to more than 330,000 veterans. Thank you all for your service to our country. We are grateful for all you have done for us. To all the clerks, election professionals, and volunteers who are veterans, thank

WEC Newsletter Volume III, Issue XVIII

Friday, October 27, 2023

WEC Ghoulsletter Volume III, Issue XVIII October 27, 2023 Happy Halloween! Contents Important! Changes to Polling Place Updates Badger Book MOU Training Reporting 2024 Elections Calendar Clerk Updates Clerk Feature: Christy Skelding Upcoming Dates & Deadlines Recent Clerk Communications Welcome

WEC Newsletter Volume III, Issue XVII

Friday, October 6, 2023

WEC Newsletter Volume III, Issue XVII October 6, 2023 Contents Badger Book Training Important! New .gov Process Envelope Subgrant FIDO Keys and Staff Change Clerk Updates Clerk Feature: Leah Hurtley Upcoming Dates & Deadlines Recent Clerk Communications Badger Book Training RSVP Today! The Badger

WEC Newsletter Volume III, Issue XVI

Thursday, September 21, 2023

WEC Newsletter Volume III, Issue XVI September 21, 2023 Contents Accessibility Toolkit New! Badger Book Training Webinars Envelope Subgrant October TTX Schedule Commission News Clerk Updates Clerk Feature: Derek Kalish Upcoming Dates & Deadlines Recent Clerk Communications A Quick Word from

WEC Newsletter Volume III, Issue XV

Friday, August 25, 2023

WEC Newsletter Volume III, Issue XV August 25, 2023 Contents Absentee Envelope FAQs Badger Book Table-top Exercises Election Plans Clerk Updates Clerk Feature: Kathy Kloes Upcoming Dates & Deadlines NEW! Recent Clerk Communications Updates on Envelopes You asked and we answered. The WEC compiled a

WEC Newsletter Volume III, Issue VI

Friday, March 17, 2023

Pre-Election Super Guide, Assisting voters with disabilities, Exit polling and Media at Polling Places Wisconsin Elections Commission Volume III, Issue VI March 23, 2023 It's a big issue this week! Administering an election is a lot of work and there are many moving parts. We've compiled a list of

WEC Newsletter Volume III, Issue V

Thursday, March 9, 2023

Successfully Navigating an Election Crisis Tips and tactics from the Village of Brooklyn Clerk Village of Brooklyn Clerk-Treasurer Linda Kuhlman now knows first-hand how quickly an emergency can strike on Election Day. The recent Spring Election was her team’s first election using Badger Books, and

WEC Newsletter Volume III, Issue IV

Friday, February 24, 2023

Thank you all for your hard work to ensure another efficient and secure election! Resources available to help clerks with reconciliation The Spring Primary Election will require all municipalities to perform election reconciliation in WisVote as part of the post-election requirements. The WEC

WEC Newsletter Volume II, Issue XVI

Thursday, October 6, 2022

Filing Candidate Paperwork at WEC

Candidates or their representatives may submit nomination papers in-person at the Wisconsin Elections Commission office. To make this process as efficient as possible, candidates should make an appointment to submit nomination papers to Commission staff. However, our office does accept walk-in submissions.

Making an Appointment and Preparing to File:
Appointments are available weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Please note that the Elections Commission will be closed on 05/27/2024.
Organize your papers prior to arriving at the WEC office and number each petition page in sequential order.

Arriving for your appointment:
The WEC office is located at 201 W. Washington Ave. Madison, WI 53703. The entire building is locked, and visitors must sign in with the front desk staff before being guided to the WEC office on the second floor. Appointments are scheduled for 30 minutes, however most appointments take around 15 minutes.

Appointments on the Deadline
Appointments on the deadline, June 3, 2024 at 5pm, are only available on a first come, first served basis. Please plan extra time if you are planning on turning in your papers on June 3 as there may be a wait.

Book Your Filing Appointment Today!

Appointments are available between 9a & 4p, Mon-Fri. WEC offices are closed on 05/27.

Can I choose to vote in person either at a location for in-person absentee voting or on Election Day when I live in a care facility served by SVDs?

Yes! When the SVDs visit, you can decline to vote your ballot and vote at an in-person absentee polling location before election day or at the polls on election day instead.

I live in a care facility and I would like my ballot sent to someone else (spouse, child, guardian, etc.) so they can bring it to me and be my assistant. How do I do that?

If you are registered to vote from the care facility (meaning you used the care facility address as your residence) AND that care facility is served by SVDs, your absentee ballot will be delivered by the SVD's or mailed to your mailing address if you are unable to vote during either SVD visit. Your family member is welcome to be in attendance when the SVDs visit and act as your assistant.

Rather than vote with the SVDs, you could vote at the polls on election day or vote absentee in-person at your municipal clerk's office or alternate site.

Alternatively, if you maintain a home outside of the care facility, you would be able to register to vote from that address and could apply to receive an absentee ballot with that registration.

Can my Power of Attorney get me registered to vote, request my absentee ballot, and/or vote my ballot for me?

If your Power of Attorney is a family member, they may assist you with registering to vote and voting your ballot* but they may not do those things on your behalf without your presence (Wis. Stat. 6.875(6)(c)1). Your Power of Attorney may request your absentee ballot on your behalf.

*If you are in a care facility served by SVDs, they will need to be in attendance during one of those visits in order to assist you.

What Voters in Residential Care Facilities Need to Know

SVD Voting is when special voting deputies (SVDs) come from the municipal clerk's office to a residential care facility to allow residents the opportunity to vote. Not all facilities are eligible for SVD voting so you may want to check with your municipal clerk to find out if yours is served by SVDs. SVDs only assist those residents who request assistance from them.

The SVDs will make two visits to your care facility so if you miss the first visit, you will have another opportunity to vote. If you miss both visits, the municipal clerk can mail your absentee ballot to the facility for you. Please contact your municipal clerk if you miss both SVD visits to ensure you still receive your ballot.

You may decline to vote when the SVDs visit. They have a form they will ask you to sign for their official records confirming you did not want to vote.

Find What You Need on MyVote Wisconsin

Find your clerk's contact information, get registered to vote, or request a ballot on MyVote Wisconsin.

Getting Registered to Vote

You must be registered in order to vote absentee when the SVDs visit the facility*.

To register, you need a proof of residence document such as your care facility intake form, a residential lease, or check or document issued by a unit of government. These documents must contain your current name and current address.

You should only register to vote from the care facility if you are not there temporarily and have no present intent to return to your previous home

You can register to vote the following ways:

On MyVote Wisconsin if you have a current and valid driver license or state ID
On paper using the voter registration form (EL-131 link) and mailing it or having it delivered to the municipal clerk's office

*In some instances, the clerk may send/authorize an Election Registration Official (ERO) to register residents. If you know you need to register and would like assistance from the clerk's office, call your municipal clerk and see if they are planning to send an ERO with their SVDs.

If you need assistance getting registered, someone from the care facility, a family member, or friends (anyone except your employer or union rep) may act as your assistant and will need to sign in Section 10 on the registration form

Requesting a Ballot

In order for a care facility to qualify for a SVDs visit, there need to be at least 5 registered voters with active absentee ballot requests on file.

You may also request your absentee ballot one of the following ways:

By email, using the MyVote Wisconsin website, if you have a photo ID, e.g., a WI driver license or state ID, US passport, etc.
Using an absentee ballot request form (EL-121 link) or other written request to the clerk and submitting it to the clerk's office by mail, fax or email.

If your facility is already served by SVDs, you can request your ballot when they visit if you are already registered or if you are not, if it is during the open registration period and they sent an Election Registration Official (see above).

If you need assistance requesting your ballot, someone from the care facility, a family member, or friend may act as your assistant and will need to sign the Assistant Declaration/Certification section on the application form.

Photo ID Requirements and Exceptions

Most voters are required to provide an acceptable photo ID to request a ballot.

View the List of Acceptable ID

Many care facility residents qualify for exceptions:

If you are requesting your ballot from the SVDs when they visit, the signatures of the SVDs on the ballot envelope serves as the proof of identification.
If your care facility is not served by SVDs, a signature from care facility staff in section 5 on the ballot envelope serves as the proof of identification. You will need to let the clerk's office know your situation when you send in your application.
If you consider yourself to be indefinitely confined under Wis. Stat. 6.86(2), meaning you are limited in your ability to leave the care facility due age, infirmity, disability or illness, you can check that box in Section 6 on the ballot application.

Voting thru SVDs FAQ

View all FAQ

Can I choose to vote in person either at a location for in-person absentee voting or on Election Day when I live in a care facility served by SVDs?

Yes! When the SVDs visit, you can decline to vote your ballot and vote at an in-person absentee polling location before election day or at the polls on election day instead.

I live in a care facility and I would like my ballot sent to someone else (spouse, child, guardian, etc.) so they can bring it to me and be my assistant. How do I do that?

Rather than vote with the SVDs, you could vote at the polls on election day or vote absentee in-person at your municipal clerk's office or alternate site.

Alternatively, if you maintain a home outside of the care facility, you would be able to register to vote from that address and could apply to receive an absentee ballot with that registration.

Can my Power of Attorney get me registered to vote, request my absentee ballot, and/or vote my ballot for me?

*If you are in a care facility served by SVDs, they will need to be in attendance during one of those visits in order to assist you.

Voter Information Center

Voting by Mail

Request or Track your absentee ballot today!

Click here to continue to MyVote and request your by mail absentee ballot today. Already requested a ballot? Track your request to see that it's approved, your ballot is sent, and returned to be counted.

Voting by Absentee Ballot

Voting by absentee ballot is a convenient way to take part in the voting process. Find your municipal clerk’s office to learn about the in-person absentee voting hours and locations in your community. Interested in voting absentee by mail? To get started, you’ll need information about how to fill out your ballot, and successfully cast an absentee vote.

Who can request and receive an absentee ballot?

Any qualified elector. A qualified elector is a United States citizen, 18 years of age or older, who has resided in the district in which he or she intends to vote for at least 28 consecutive days. The elector must be registered in order to receive an absentee ballot.

Note: Military voters are not required to register (submit an EL-131) in order to vote.

How do I request an absentee ballot?

You can request an absentee ballot on myvote.wi.gov or make a request to your municipal clerk in writing, electronically, or in person (starting 14 days before the election) using the Application for Absentee Ballot or statement containing all the information required on the form.

Military and Overseas electors may also use the Federal Postcard Application (FPCA), which is a combination registration form and absentee ballot request.

What are the deadlines for making an absentee request?

Online and by mail: The request must be in the office of the municipal clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on the *5th day preceding an election.

In-person at the clerk's office: The last possible day for a clerk to conduct in-person absentee voting is the Sunday before the election. Each municipal clerk's office sets its own schedule for in-person absentee voting.

Note: A person cannot request an absentee ballot in person and leave the clerk's office with the ballot. The ballot is either voted in the clerk's office, or the clerk must mail the ballot to the elector.

The deadline for indefinitely confined electors and military electors (not-away) to request an absentee ballot is the 4th day before the election.
For a federal election, the deadline for military electors who are away from their residence due to active duty to request an absentee ballot is 5:00 p.m. on election day.
Special provisions are made for hospitalized electors and sequestered jurors to request and vote by absentee ballot on election day. Wis. Stat. §§ 6.86(1)(b),(3)(a).

When will I get my absentee ballot?

An absentee ballot must be sent by the following dates to any voter with an absentee application on file.

47 days before a federal election
21 days before a primary or other election. Wis. Stat. § 7.15(1))(cm).
When a request for an absentee ballot is made by mail, the absentee ballot must be mailed to the elector within one day of the request.
Voters requesting an absentee ballot in person must cast the ballot in the clerk's office. Voters cannot take the absentee ballot out of the clerk's office.

Special provisions are made for issuing absentee ballots to residents of a nursing home, qualifying retirement homes and community-based residential facilities. See our manual Absentee Voting in Residential Care Facilities and Retirement Homes.

Can I get my ballot electronically?

Only military, permanent overseas, or temporarily overseas voter can request an absentee ballot to be sent to them by fax or email.

You can see what is on your ballot on myvote.wi.gov.

Where are you voting from?

Military and Overseas

College Students

Residential Care Facility or Retirement Home

All Other Absentees

Recent News

Apr 16 2024

WEC Administrator Receives Two National Awards

MADISON – Meagan Wolfe, the nonpartisan administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, recently received two national awards recognizing her performance in election administration. On April 14, the American Society for Public Administration honored Wolfe as a 2024 recipient of its National...

Mar 29 2024

Election Day Reminders for April 2

MADISON – The Wisconsin Elections Commission is providing guidance to voters ahead of Tuesday’s Spring Election. Here’s what to know: 1. Voters planning to go to the polls should check the Wisconsin Elections Commission’s MyVote website at MyVote.wi.gov to verify their registration status, find...

Mar 28 2024

WEC Receives No Labels Ballot Status Petition

MADISON – The Wisconsin Elections Commission on Thursday received a petition from the group No Labels to receive ballot status in Wisconsin ahead of the 2024 General Election. The petition makes use of an uncommon path for a political party to achieve ballot status found in Wis. Stat. § 5.62(2)(a)...

Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)

WHAT IS ERIC?

The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization created by and comprised of state election officials from around the United States. Founded in 2012, ERIC is funded and governed by states that choose to join.

Member states securely submit voter registration and motor vehicle department data to ERIC. ERIC is also certified to use official death data from the Social Security Administration and subscribes to change of address data from the United States Postal Service.

ERIC is the most effective tool available to help election officials maintain more accurate voter rolls and detect possible illegal voting. ERIC also helps states reach out to potentially eligible but not yet registered individuals with information on how best to register to vote.

The Electronic Registration Information Center, known as ERIC, has a record of combating voter fraud by identifying those who have died or moved between states.
The Associated Press

Why did election officials create ERIC?

As the official record of all eligible voters in a state, a state’s voter registration rolls are the foundation of free, fair, and accurate elections. Most states are required by the National Voter Registration Act to “conduct a general program that makes a reasonable effort to remove the names of ineligible voters” from the rolls. States not subject to this federal law have state “list maintenance” laws aimed at keeping voter records up to date. Illegal voting is exceedingly rare but maintaining accurate voter rolls reduces the opportunity for such behavior and it helps build confidence in elections.

Keeping voter registration rolls up to date is a challenge though, because every day voters move or die. Voters don’t always remember to update their voter registration. Family members rarely report the death of a loved one to election officials. ERIC was created to address these challenges. Inaccurate, Costly, and Inefficient, published in 2012, found that approximately 1 out of 8 voter registrations in the U.S. were no longer valid or significantly inaccurate, more than 1.8 million deceased individuals were listed as voters, and approximately 2.75 million people had registrations in more than one state. Additionally, the report estimated there were at least 51 million eligible U.S. citizens who were not registered – about 24 percent of the eligible population.

The seven states that founded ERIC in 2012 believed using state-of-the-art data matching technology, a robust and safe data sharing program built on widely accepted information security standards, and an unprecedented commitment to cooperation would vastly improve their ability to maintain accurate voter rolls. It would also have the added benefit of allowing them to reach out to unregistered but likely eligible individuals far more accurately and efficiently than anyone else.

What do ERIC and its members do?

At least every 60 days, each member submits their voter registration data and licensing and identification data from motor vehicle departments (MVD) to ERIC. ERIC refers to these data as Member Data. ERIC’s technical staff uses sophisticated data matching software to compare Member Data from all member states, sometimes with data from other sources, to create the following four “list maintenance” reports.

Cross-State Movers Report: Identifies voters who appear to have moved from one ERIC member to another using voter registration data and MVD data.
In-State Updates Report: Identifies voters who appear to have moved within the jurisdiction, or who recently updated their contact information, using voter registration and MVD data.
Duplicate Report: Identifies voters with duplicate registrations in the same state using voter registration data and MVD data.
Deceased Report: Identifies voters who have died using voter registration data and Social Security death data known as the Limited Access Death Master File and MVD data.

In addition, ERIC offers three other reports:

Eligible but Unregistered Report: Identifies individuals who appear to be eligible but who are not yet registered by matching voter registration data against MVD data.
National Change of Address (NCOA) Report: Identifies voters who have moved using official data ERIC licenses from the US Postal Service.
Voter Participation Report: For each federal general election, members can request reports identifying voters who appear to have voted more than once in the member jurisdiction in the same election, in more than one member jurisdiction in the same election, or on behalf of a deceased voter within the member jurisdiction.

Simply put, ERIC compares a member’s voter records to other members’ voter records, MVD records, and to federal deceased data and national change of address data, for the purposes of flagging differences that indicate a member’s voter record may be out of date or inaccurate.

Refer to the “How Does It Work” page or access the Bylaws and Membership Agreement on the “About ERIC” page at www.ericstates.org for more information on the reports.

Which states are members of ERIC?

Besides Wisconsin, more than two dozen states are part of ERIC, including neighboring Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota.

What law requires Wisconsin to be a member of ERIC?

Wisconsin Statute § 6.36(1)(ae)
1. The chief election officer shall enter into a membership agreement with Electronic Registration Information Center, Inc., for the purpose of maintaining the official registration list under this section. Prior to entering into an agreement under this subdivision, the chief election officer shall ensure that the agreement satisfies all of the following conditions:
a. It safeguards the confidentiality of information or data in the registration list that may be subject to transfer under the agreement and to which access is restricted under par. (b) 1. a.
b. It prohibits the sale or distribution of the information or data in the registration list to a 3rd-party vendor and it prohibits any other action not associated with administration of or compliance with the agreement.
c. It does not affect the exemption for this state under the national voter registration act.
d. It allows the state to make contact with electors by electronic mail, whenever possible.
2. If the chief election officer enters into an agreement under subd. 1., the chief election officer shall comply with the terms of the agreement, including the transmission of information and data related to the registration of electors in this state to the Electronic Registration Information Center, Inc., for processing and sharing with other member states and governmental units.

When did Wisconsin join ERIC?

Wisconsin joined ERIC in 2016 as part of a piece of legislation signed by former Gov. Scott Walker that enacted online voter registration and other changes to voting laws. Walker said the bill "brings Wisconsin elections into the 21st century."

What does Wisconsin do with ERIC data?

Wisconsin receives all ERIC reports on a regular basis and uses technology to inform local clerks of the voter records in their jurisdictions that may need to be updated or deactivated. In most cases, local clerks, not the Wisconsin Elections Commission, are ultimately responsible for determining whether there is enough reliable information and, if appropriate, updating or deactivating the voter record.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission, rather than local clerks, is solely responsible for updating or deactivating the voting records of people who are suspected of having moved out of state.

While the Wisconsin Elections Commission is able to generate some of ERIC's data reports on its own, using Wisconsin's statewide voter registration system, the breadth and depth of ERIC's voter data remains unmatched.

How is ERIC funded?

Members fund ERIC. New members pay a one-time membership fee of $25,000, which is reserved for technology upgrades and other unanticipated expenses. Members also pay annual dues. Annual dues cover operating costs and are based, in part, on the citizen voting age population in each state. Thus, large jurisdictions pay more in annual dues than smaller ones. Members approve their dues and the annual budget. Dues for the 2022-23 fiscal year range from about $26,000 to about $116,000. ERIC’s 2022-23 operating budget is about $1,538,000. ERIC conducts annual independent audits of its financial statements.

In the 2022-23 fiscal year, the Wisconsin Elections Commission spent about $45,164 on ERIC membership dues.

Where are the ERIC offices located?

ERIC’s Washington, D.C. address is a mailing address only. Like other organizations, employees work remotely. ERIC members are aware of this arrangement. It reduces operating costs without sacrificing security or our ability to serve our member’s needs. ERIC’s servers are housed in a managed, secure data center located in the U.S. Secure remote access to the data center is limited to only employees who need it to perform their duties.