Mar 12 2024
Special Meeting 3/12/2024
Commission Meeting
Voter Correspondence
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
2024-2025 Calendar of Election Events
This communication is to announce that the 2023-2024 Calendar of Election Events is now available for clerk review. Clerks need to submit comments to @email by 10/16/2023. The updated calendar includes deadlines from November 2023 through January 2025, and is a valuable tool for election...
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.
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.
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.
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.
Many care facility residents qualify for exceptions:
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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.
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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.
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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.