Absentee voting underway for Aug. 14 primary

Posted at 2 p.m. on July 13, 2018

The Brillion News

MADISON – Absentee ballots are now available statewide for the August 14 Partisan Primary, and many municipalities are now offering in-person absentee voting during regular business hours, according to the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

There are a number of statewide races on the ballot, as well as local contests including District 1 State Senate and Calumet County Sheriff.

Voters who wish to cast an absentee ballot in person should contact their municipal clerk’s office for information about what days and hours they are open for in-person absentee voting, said Meagan Wolfe, the commission’s interim administrator.

“If your municipal clerk doesn’t have regular hours scheduled, you can make an appointment to vote absentee,” Wolfe said

Voters can also request an absentee ballot by mail by contacting their municipal clerk, or by visiting https://myvote.wi.gov.

The deadline to request a mailed absentee ballot is Thursday, August 9, but the commission recommends making your request as early as possible to account for possible delays in mail delivery. All absentee ballots must be returned to the municipal clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Wisconsin law does not set a specific starting date for in-person absentee voting, which gives clerks a great deal of discretion in when and where to offer in-person absentee voting. The last legal day for in-person absentee voting is Saturday, August 11, though in many places the last day will be Friday, August 10. Some larger cities like Madison and Milwaukee offer multiple locations, while others offer it only at the clerk’s office.

In the August 14, 2018 Partisan Primary, voters will choose major party nominees for Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, U.S. Senator, Representative in Congress, State Senator and State Representative. Voters in some counties may have primaries for Sheriff, Clerk of Circuit Court and Coroner, as well as local referenda.

Voters can see who is on their ballot at https://myvote.wi.gov.

For more information about absentee voting, visit http://elections.wi.gov/voters/absentee.