Military Voters
Am I considered a Military Voter?
A military voter must meet one of the following criteria (§6.22(1)(b))
- An active-duty member of one of the seven uniformed services
- A civilian employee of the United States, or attached to a uniform service, serving outside of the US
- An active member of the Merchant Marine
- A Peace Corp Volunteer
- A spouse or dependent of someone in an above category, absent due to member’s active duty or service.
Who is not considered a Military Voter?
The following are a few examples of statuses that would not be considered military for voting purposes in Wisconsin:
- Retired or separated military service members
- National Guard or Ready Reserve members not currently on active duty
- Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) members
- Civilian employees of the United States Government not stationed outside of the US.
What should I do if I’m not sure if I qualify as a military voter?
If you are unsure if you qualify for military voter status, please contact your municipal clerk or the WEC before requesting an absentee ballot. The WEC can be reached by phone at 608-266-8005 or by email at [email protected].
How do I request to receive an absentee ballot electronically?
A military voter can submit a request to receive your ballot electronically using the Vote Absentee by Mail process on the MyVote site. You will be able to choose to receive the ballot by email or fax from your clerk, or by directly downloading the ballot from the MyVote site. Requests to receive a ballot by fax or email can also be submitted by email to your municipal clerk and should include the voter’s name, registration address, the election(s) requested, email/fax number where the ballot should be sent.
Can I return my completed ballot electronically?
No. Wisconsin does not currently allow any absentee ballots to be returned electronically. (§6.87(3)(d)) & (§6.87(6))
I’m no longer a military voter, how do I update my status?
When you no longer qualify as a military voter a new voter registration must be submitted, along with a valid proof of residence document, to update your status. If you already have a Wisconsin Driver License or State ID, with your current WI address on file with the DMV, you can complete the registration online by choosing the Update My Name or Address option. (§6.22(7))
Why can the absentee request deadline for Military voters change for some elections?
A federal office appearing on the ballot can impact the request deadline for military voters. The standard absentee request deadline for all military voters for all elections is 5:00 p.m. the Friday before Election Day (§6.22(4)(b)). If there is a federal contest and the voter is an active-duty military voter or a spouse/dependent, who is also away from home due to the member’s service, the deadline for requesting an absentee ballot is 5:00 p.m. on Election Day.(§6.86(1)(b) & §6.34(1))