City Clerk's Office

Voters heading south for the winter should be aware that the rules have changed for requesting absentee ballots.

Your absentee ballot request must now be accompanied by a photocopy of your ID. The following items are the only types of ID that will be accepted for voting purposes:
- Wisconsin driver's license expiring no earlier than 11/2/2010
- Wisconsin DOT-issued photo ID card expiring no earlier than 11/2/2010
- U.S. passport expiring no earlier than 11/2/2010
- Military ID card expiring no earlier than 11/2/2010
- Certificate of naturalization issued within last 2 years
- Unexpired Wisconsin driver's license or state ID receipt
- ID card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe in Wisconsin
- Unexpired ID issued by a Wisconsin accredited university or college-must contain issuance date, student signature, and expiration date within 2 years of issuance, along with proof of current enrollment.

Your ID card does not need to list your current address.

In addition to a copy of your ID, your absentee ballot request needs to contain your name, voting address, mailing address (if different) and signature. Although you do not need to use a form to request an absentee ballot, a fillable form is available online at http://www.cityofmadison.com/election/absenteeVoting/.

Do not send your original ID card to the Clerk's Office; you will need to have that card in hand the next time you vote in the Clerk's Office or at the polls.

Once you submit a photocopy of your ID with a request to vote absentee by mail, you will not need to submit a copy of ID with future absentee requests - unless you move or change your name.

Be sure to read the clerk's instruction letter very carefully when you receive your absentee ballot in the mail.

Elections will be held on February 21, April 3, August 14, and November 6 of 2012.

For more information about recent changes to elections law, see www.cityofmadison.com/election.