WEC Newsletter Volume V, Issue III

Join the Accessibility Advisory Committee

The WEC is looking for two municipal clerks who are passionate about accessible voting to join the Accessibility Advisory Committee (AAC). The AAC is made up of local disability advocacy organizations with interests in voting rights. Members attend monthly hour-long virtual meetings and provide vital feedback on materials and WEC initiatives to ensure we are prioritizing accessibility. If you think that you would be a good fit for this group, please follow the link to complete the application. This application closes Friday April 11th at 11:59pm.

Apply Here!

Judicial Privacy Laws Take Effect April 1

What Clerks Need to Know

Coinciding with the Spring Election, Wis. Stat. § 8.10(8) and Wis. Stat. § 757.07 become active and will affect public records and future ballot access procedures. There are two separate processes related to judicial officers to be aware of.

A judicial officer is a supreme court justice, court of appeals judge, circuit court judge, municipal judge, tribal judge, temporary or permanent reserve judge, or a circuit, supplemental, or municipal court commissioner. Wis. Stat. § 757.07(1)(e).

Regarding public records

You may receive a request under § 757.07(4) from a judicial officer to remove from published sources and to withhold personal information regarding the officer or individuals in the officer’s household. This request would likely include certain election-related documents such as absentee ballot certificate envelopes and voter registration forms, as well as extending into non-election-related documents that may be in the possession of your office.

Regarding ballot access

You may receive a communication from the WEC that a judicial officer or judicial candidate has certified his or her residence with the WEC. If a proper form is filed with the WEC, the officer would be able to write “Residence Certified with WEC” in lieu of providing an address on nomination papers and declarations of candidacy. If you see this statement during ballot access, you will need to look up the certificate of residence, which will be maintained by the WEC.

The Commission is currently promulgating a rule concerning these new ballot access procedures. The rule is available for review and you can provide comments on any economic impacts by Monday, March 31.

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Early Bird Pricing Ends April 1

Reserve your spot today!

We are pleased to announce that registration for the inaugural Wisconsin Elections Commission Clerks Conference is now LIVE! We invite you to join us at the Central Wisconsin Convention & Expo Center in Rothschild on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. This year’s event promises to be an exciting opportunity for learning and networking.

Register now: Online or see the email from February 3 for the pdf form. The regular registration period ends June 1.

We are excited to welcome you all the WEC Clerks Conference and we can’t wait to see you there! If you have any questions, please reach out to us at @email.

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Badger Book Update to Version 3.1.2.7

If your update is not already done, wait until after the Spring Election

Just a reminder that the deadline has passed for an optional software update to Badger Books, so please do not attempt any software updates at this point until after the Spring Election.

Badger Book users had until March 18 to complete the update. If you were unable to update your machines before that date, please do not do it now. Rather, on Election Day, simply search for each absentee voter by name.

You might recall that an email on this topic was sent to all Badger Book users on March 11, putting forth the March 18 deadline. The update in question addresses an issue with scanning absentee ballots that users reported during the Spring Primary. The mailing ID (the number the Badger Book is scanning from the barcode) was recently updated in WisVote to include eight-digit numbers, and Badger Books are not able to correctly scan the eight-digit numbers without this update.

Again, at this point if you haven’t already completed the update, please wait until after the Spring Election on April 1 to do so. As noted above, on Election Day clerks who have not yet implemented the software update can simply search for each absentee voter by name rather than scanning the bar code.

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Tech Tips

The Critical Role of Updates

Keeping your computer’s operating system and web browser up to date is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to stay secure online. Regular updates patch security vulnerabilities, improve performance, and introduce new features that enhance your experience. Whether it’s your operating system, browser, or essential applications, setting updates to run automatically or checking for them regularly can prevent cyber threats and keep things running smoothly. An outdated system is a prime target for errors to occur while using the WisVote system, so don’t let software updates fall by the wayside!

In addition to updates, clearing your browser's cache is another easy habit that can improve performance and security. Over time, cached files and cookies can slow down your browsing experience and even cause outdated website data to load improperly. A quick advanced cache clear (see inset below), found in your browser’s settings, can resolve loading issues and free up space. Consider doing this every few weeks for an optimized browsing experience. A well-maintained system is safer and more reliable in the long run!

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Determining Voter Residency

Helpful resource available for election workers

It takes 28 days to establish residency at an address in Wisconsin. If a voter has recently moved, confirming how long they’ve been at their current address is crucial to determining where they should vote.

Residency scenarios are often encountered on Election Day. The WEC has compiled a resource to help clerks and election inspectors when these situations arise. The Common Residency Scenarios table can be viewed on page 35 of the Election Day Manual

If any registration changes are needed, voters will need an acceptable Proof of Residence (POR) document. Our resource page on voter registration, which includes a list of acceptable POR documents, can be found on our Voter Registration and Proof of Residence page.

Proof of Residence may be presented as a hard copy or on an electronic device.

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Yes, You Have to be Available until 5 p.m. on March 28

Sorry, friends, but it’s the law

One question that comes up before every election is whether clerks are required to keep their offices open until 5 p.m. the Friday before an election in order to be available for the voter registration deadline. The answer can be found in Wisconsin Statute § 6.29(2)(a):

“Any qualified elector of a municipality… may register after the close of registration but not later than 5 p.m. or the close of business, whichever is later, on the Friday before an election at the office of the municipal clerk…”

If you normally have business hours that end before 5 p.m. on Friday, the Friday before each election needs to be an exception to your schedule.

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Extended Hours Coming

We know that in the heart of an election season, your questions aren't always limited to normal business hours.

That's why the WEC will be open for extended hours in the days leading up to and after the Spring Election. Staff will be available to assist clerks until 6 p.m. starting on Thursday before the election with some weekend coverage. More details to come soon.

A Tied Contest? Flip That Coin!

WEC Offers Canvass Resources & Tiebreaking Reminders

After the polls close, the real fun begins because… it’s time for canvass!

If you are new to the process or need a refresher, we have guides to help you: Municipal Board of Canvass Suggested Procedures and County Board of Canvass Suggested Procedures.

These guides include lists of what you need and are intended to help you navigate the process for conducting a canvass.

An important piece of the canvass, and something clerks run into in spring elections more than any other, are tied contests. If your board of canvass is the one responsible for certifying the winner for a contest (MBOC certifies municipal contests, CBOC certifies county contests, etc.), then the tiebreaker must be done at the canvass to determine the winner. That must happen in order to start the clock for an aggrieved candidate to request a recount.

To break a tie, you just need to use any process that generates a random outcome. If it is a two-way tie, you may flip a coin. You can draw names out of a hat or draw straws. We just don’t recommend rock, paper, scissors as a method because there is always confusion on whether you go on "three" or after "three!"

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Commission action prompts best practice document for absentee ballots

Checklist, other resources available to prepare for the Spring Election

In response to a directive from the Wisconsin Elections Commission, WEC staff has shared a Clerk Communication detailing best practices for handling, processing, and counting absentee ballots ahead of the April 1, 2025, Spring Election.

Commissioners unanimously approved a motion to create a best practices document following the Commission’s investigation into the city of Madison after it failed to count 193 absentee ballots in the November 2024 General Election.

The purpose of the Clerk Communication is to:

• Provide a comprehensive checklist for election officials and boards of canvassers to use ahead of April 1 to ensure that their current policies and procedures align with best practices.
• Provide a resource for election officials to use on Election Day before polls close, or after polls close during the canvass process, to ensure that every ballot that was lawfully returned is counted.

All of the guidance in the best practice document is also currently reflected in WEC manuals.

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Hospitalized Electors

How to Vote if You’re in the Hospital

A voter who is hospitalized at any point between seven days before Election Day and 5 p.m. on Election Day, and who hasn’t already cast a ballot, can ask for an absentee ballot by agent.

If the voter is not registered to vote or needs to update their name or address, they must complete a Voter Registration Application and provide Proof of Residence. If the voter needs assistance, please see the section below on Getting Assistance.

Keywords:

Agent - The person the voter chooses to deliver their Application for Absentee Ballot, bring them their ballot, and return their voted ballot.

Assistant - The person the voter chooses to sign forms or fill out a ballot at their direction.

Municipal clerk - The person who takes Voter Registration Applications and Applications for Absentee Ballot, and issues absentee ballots.

Witness - The person who watches the voter fill out their ballot, but they do not see who the voter votes for in any races.

The agent, assistant, and witness can be the same person.

Getting Assistance:

If a voter cannot sign a form or fill in their ballot because of a disability, an assistant can do it for them.

After providing assistance, the assistant must also complete an additional step on the following forms:

1. Voter Registration Application: In Section 10, the assistant signs the Certification of Assistant and writes their address.
2. Application for Absentee Ballot: The assistant signs and dates the Assistant Declaration/Certification.
3. Absentee Ballot: The assistant initials the Certification of Voter Assistance.
4. Certificate Envelope: In Step 2, the assistant signs the Certification of Assistant.

Voting Process:

1. The voter fills out a Wisconsin Application for Absentee Ballot. In Section 7, the voter checks the box that says they are in the hospital and need an agent to bring them an absentee ballot. (If the voter needs assistance, see B, above.)
2. In Section 7 of the Absentee Application, the agent writes their first, middle, and last name, signs their name, and writes their address.
3. The voter gives their Photo ID to their agent.
4. The agent goes to the voter’s municipal clerk’s office and gives the voter’s Absentee Application and Photo ID to the clerk.
5. The agent shows their own Photo ID to the clerk.
6. The municipal clerk gives the agent the Absentee Ballot, Certificate Envelope, and Uniform Instructions for the voter.
7. The agent goes back to the hospital and gives the Absentee Ballot, Absentee Certificate Envelope, and Uniform Instructions to the voter.
8. The voter votes their Absentee Ballot in front of their agent or a different witness. (If the voter needs assistance, see C, above.)
9. The voter puts their voted ballot in the Absentee Certificate Envelope, seals and signs the envelope in Step 2 and fills out voter information in Step 1 if it is blank. (If the voter needs assistance, see D, above.)
10. In Step 3 Absentee Certificate Envelope, the agent, or a different person who saw the voter fill out their ballot, signs their name as the witness and writes their printed name and address.
11. The agent takes the certificate envelope to the voter’s municipal clerk or polling place before 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Download a printable version of these steps.

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Make Sure Voters Can Find You!

Check your staff info on MyVote

Maintaining your current contact information and staff list in WisVote is crucial for ensuring that voters can contact your office, and that only active election officials have access to this sensitive database. You can easily verify that your municipality's clerk contact information is correct by using MyVote Wisconsin. Click on the "Find My Clerk" link in the footer and enter a local address.

Also, as a matter of routine, please keep the WEC Helpdesk aware of any incoming staff members who need WisVote access, or outgoing staff members whose access should be removed, and the dates to change their access.

Please contact the WEC Helpdesk if you have any questions about your staff's WisVote.

Check Info Update Info 

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