City Clerk's Office

The City of Madison Clerk’s Office would like voters to know the answers to the ten most frequently asked questions they receive regarding voter ID.

1. “I moved.  Do I need to update my address with the DMV before I can vote?” 

No.  The address on your ID does not matter when you are proving your identity at the polls. 

2. ”I didn’t have all the certified documents the DMV needed when I renewed my driver license/ID.  I was told that my ID is non-compliant.  Does this affect my right to vote?” 

No.  Whether your ID complies with the federal REAL ID Act is not relevant at the polls.

3. “Can I use my driver license/ID from another state as my voter ID?” 

No.  Wisconsin’s voter ID law does not accept a driver license or ID card from another state.

4. ”My ID is expired.  Does that mean I can’t vote?”

No.  The state offers a grace period for the expiration date on four types of ID.  Your Wisconsin driver license, Wisconsin ID card, U.S. passport, or military ID is acceptable as long as it expired after the last November election (Nov. 6, 2018).  This grace period will remain the same through the Nov. 3, 2020, Presidential Election.

5. “Can I use my state employee ID card as my voter ID?”

No.  We can only accept the types of ID specified in the state’s voter ID law:

• Wisconsin driver license expiring after 11/06/2018
• Wisconsin DOT-issued photo ID card expiring after 11/06/2018
• U.S. passport expiring after 110/6/2018
• Military ID card expiring after 11/06/2018
• Certificate of naturalization issued within last 2 years
• Unexpired Wisconsin driver license or state ID receipt
• Unexpired ID receipt issued by the Wisconsin DOT through the ID Petition Process
• ID card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe in Wisconsin, regardless of expiration date
• 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.
• Unexpired ID issued by the Veterans Health Administration
• Citation or notice of intent to revoke or suspend Wisconsin driver license, issued within 60 days of the election

6. “Do I need to be concerned about the gender listed on my state ID?”

No.  The gender listed on your ID does not matter when you are proving your identity at the polls.  The poll workers will check that the ID is one of the types of ID acceptable under state law, that the name on the ID reasonably conforms to the name on the poll book, and that the photo reasonably resembles you.

7. “I changed my hairstyle, lost weight, broke my nose, or acquired a few wrinkles.  Do I need to get a new picture at the DMV before Election Day?”

No.  The poll workers will be able to use common sense, comparing a facial feature on the ID to the voter in front of them.

8. “Can I use my UW WisCard as my voter ID?”

No.  You can get a free UW Voter Identification card from Union South to use as your voter ID, along with proof you are currently enrolled.  If you have a Wisconsin driver license or an ID issued by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, though, that works as voter ID, regardless of the address listed on the ID card.

9. “Where can I get help applying for a Wisconsin ID?”

The Dane County Voter ID Coalition offers free help with the state ID application process, and even offers free cab rides to the DMV.  The coalition can be reached at (608) 285-2141.  This is a joint effort of the League of Women Voters of Dane County and NAACP of Dane County.

10. “I don’t have an acceptable voter ID.  Can I still vote?”

Yes, you can vote provisionally at the polls on Election Day.  You will seal your ballot in an envelope.  You will have until 4:00 pm the Friday after Election Day to get a copy of your ID to the City Clerk’s Office.  There is no need to drive downtown; most provisional voters take their ID to the nearest Madison Public Library, and a librarian helps forward their ID to the Clerk’s Office.  The Board of Canvassers meets the Friday after each election to count the ballots of provisional voters who provided ID by the 4:00 pm deadline.