Automatic voter registration
Online voter registration
Pre-registration before turning 18
Number of days prior to election a voter must be registered is 15 days or less
Online voter registration closes 15 days or less before Election Day
Registration drives
Same day registration offered in all elections
Same day registration located at polling place
Same day registration offered only during early voting
All mail voting
In-person early voting
Amount of early voting days is higher than 7
Election day is a state holiday
No-excuse mail voting
12+ hours of open polls
Paid time off work to vote
Time off work to vote
Felons can vote after incarceration with completion of sentence
Felons can vote immediately after incarceration
Felons can vote while incarcerated
No ID required to vote
Mental competency not required to register
Non-photo ID required to vote
Photo-ID required to vote
Upcoming Elections
Voting Qualifications
Deadlines
More Information
In Wisconsin, voters may choose which party’s ballot to vote, but this decision is private and does not register the voter with that party. This permits a voter to cast a vote across party lines for the primary election.
Any registered Wisconsin voter may apply for an absentee ballot and vote by mail.
When requesting your absentee ballot, you must submit a copy of a valid photo ID with your request unless you are exempt from this requirement by statute (typically, certain military and overseas voters) or may have an alternative process to verify your identity. A list of valid IDs is available below.
If you are voting in person in Wisconsin (early or on Election Day), you must present valid photo ID at the time you vote. The following forms of ID are acceptable for voting purposes and can be unexpired or expired after the date of the most recent general election:
- A Wisconsin DOT-issued driver license, even if driving privileges are revoked or suspended, with or without a star in the right-hand corner.
- A Wisconsin DOT-issued identification card, with or without a star in the right-hand corner.
- A Wisconsin DOT-issued identification card or driver license without a photo issued under the religious exemption
- Military ID card issued by a U.S. uniformed service
- A U.S. passport
- An identification card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe in Wisconsin (May be used even if expired before the most recent general election.)
- A photo identification card issued by a Wisconsin accredited university or college that contains date of issuance, signature of student, and an expiration date no later than two years after date of issuance. (May be used even if expired before the most recent general election.)
- If the university or college ID is expired, the student ID must be accompanied by a separate document that proves current enrollment.
- Free Wisconsin state ID card you can obtain here.
These photo IDs are also acceptable for voting purposes, but must be unexpired:
- A veteran’s photo identification card issued by the Veterans Health Administration of the federal Department of Veterans Affairs
- A certificate of naturalization that was issued not earlier than two years before the date of an election at which it is presented
- A driving receipt issued by Wisconsin DOT (valid for 45 days)
- An identification card receipt issued by Wisconsin DOT (valid for 45 days)
- A temporary identification card receipt issued by Wisconsin DOT through the Identification Petition Process (IDPP) (valid for 60 days)
Important things to know:
- There is no such thing as a “Wisconsin Voter ID Card.” The new Voter Photo ID Law uses existing photo IDs for people to prove their identity before voting.
- The address on your ID doesn’t have to be current. And the name on your ID doesn’t need to be an exact match for your name in the poll book. (So, Richards who go by Rich, Bobs who are also Roberts, and Susans with IDs for Sue can all relax.)
- Of course, there are certain requirements. Your ID should look like you. Even if you’ve colored your hair, shaved your beard or lost some weight, as long as your photo ID reasonably resembles you, it should be accepted.