Another election is coming

Partisan Primary Day for the fall 2020 General Election in Wisconsin is Aug. 11. Right now, all elections are set to proceed in person, but there is the option to request absentee ballots through the mail for the remaining elections in 2020. Head to myvote.wi.gov to make that request, ensure you’re registered, and find out what will be on upcoming ballots. Deadlines for registering and requesting ballots are also located on the myvote.wi.gov website.

Eligible Wisconsin voters who have a current and valid Wisconsin Driver License or Wisconsin State ID card can now register completely online at myvote.wi.gov. Additionally, check bringitwisconsin.com to make sure you have the proper ID needed to vote. 

You will need to upload a photo of your eligible ID before your municipal clerk can process your request for an absentee ballot. If you need a free ID to vote, take a certified birth certificate, Social Security card and a utility bill to the DMV. The DMV is still open, by appointment only, for the purpose of getting an ID needed to vote.

Clerks are doing everything they can to make the election process safe for voters. To assist in that effort, I encourage everyone to vote absentee if they can. We were fortunate that the extraordinary steps taken by poll workers and voters during the April elections prevented a large-scale spike in COVID-19 infections, although a noticeable uptick occurred. 

This was because most people voted by mail, but thousands of absentee ballots were disqualified and not counted. Court decisions made absentee voting confusing and the U.S. Postal Service was not adequately mobilized for the large volume of mail. 

Given that many public health experts believe a second wave of COVID-19 will occur this fall, voters should take steps now to request an absentee ballot for future elections.

Please contact me with any questions regarding voting and voter ID requirements at 608-266-9170 or sen.miller@legis.wisconsin.gov.