By Nancy Dodge
Northside Action Team

“My grandmother has been confined to her home due to frailty and illness, but she wants to vote, and she is registered. How can I help her get an absentee ballot for every election?” 

Northside Action Team volunteers have been out talking with our neighbors about issues that are important to them, and this question has come up.

If you, a family member or a friend is homebound but want to exercise the right to vote, a permanent absentee ballot can be requested from the Madison City Clerk. You can check to make sure the person is registered at their current address by looking on the website myvote.wi.gov. Then, you can request (or help them request) a permanent absentee ballot by printing the form found on the clerk’s website (cityofmadison.com/clerk), completing it, and returning it by mail or email to the city clerk.

The clerk will send a permanent absentee ballot to the voter before every election, as long as it is returned with a vote in each general or special election.

Wisconsin has several important elections in 2020:

• Spring Primary Feb. 18
• Spring Election and Presidential Primary April 7
• Fall Primary Aug. 11
• Fall and Presidential Election Nov. 3

Voting is one of our most precious rights. No one should be restricted from voting due to an inability to get to the polls on Election Day.

If you have questions about voting, registration, photo ID or absentee voting, contact the Northside Action Team at natmadison.org or email us at volunteer@natmadison.org.