City Clerk's Office

The City of Madison is prepared for a high voter turnout this Tuesday, based on the number of absentee ballots issued over the past three weeks.

The Clerk's Office has issued 7,572 absentee ballots for this election, 6,225 of which have been returned to be counted. Absentee ballots are counted at the polling place on Election Day.

For comparison, the Clerk's Office issued 7,193 absentee ballots for the February 2008 Presidential Preference Election, and 4,847 of those ballots were returned to be counted. Fifty-four percent of City of Madison registered voters cast ballots in the February 2008 election.

No polling places or election laws have changed since the Spring Primary. Current Wisconsin law does not require voters to present a photo identification card before voting.

Polling places statewide will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Election Officials take an oath of office and complete a thorough training program. Prior to each election, the City Clerk's Office and Election Officials test all tabulators to ensure that votes are counted accurately.

Before going to the polls, voters can verify their voter registration status, look up their polling place, or view a sample ballot online at the Voter Public Access website, https://vpa.wi.gov.

Voters who have moved or changed their name may update their voter registration at the polls on Election Day with proof of residence.

The following items may be used as proof of residence as long as they are current and list the voter's name at his or her current address:
• Utility bill (up to 90 days old)
• Wisconsin Driver's License
• ID Card issued by Wisconsin Department of Transportation
• Bank statement
• Tax bill
• Residential lease
• Paycheck
• Government check or document
• Student ID issued by UW-Madison or Edgewood College that includes a photo, as long as the student is listed on the certified housing list provided by the university or college. This option is not available for students in private housing.

If a voter is unable to provide one of these forms of proof of residence, another City of Madison resident may sign as his or her corroborating witness. The corroborating witness must be eligible to vote in Madison and must be able to provide proof of his or her address.

In order to be eligible to vote, an individual must be a United State citizen age 18 or older by Election Day and a resident of the City of Madison for at least ten days before the election. Someone convicted of a felony must have completed the terms of his or her sentence, including probation, parole, or extended supervision, to be eligible to vote.

For more information on the election process, go to www.cityofmadison.com/election.