Friend –

Wisconsin's next election is on Tuesday, April 5, and we want to make sure you have the most up-to-date information so that you feel empowered to cast your vote.

On April 5, many important races will determine who act as key leaders in our local governments: who will lead our towns and cities, who will represent our school districts as school board members, who will preside over our local circuit courts as judges, and more. These local officials are the ones that have the most impact on our lives, often making the day-to-day decisions that affect each of us the most.

As you head to the polls, it's important to remember that certain changes might affect the way you cast your ballot.

On January 13, a Waukesha County judge ruled that ballot drop boxes cannot be used in Wisconsin and that voters cannot have others return absentee ballots for them. While this ruling was not in effect during the February 15 election, it will be in effect for the April 5 election.

So what does that mean for you as a voter?

First, remember that this rule change only affects those voting by mail absentee ballot, and you still have plenty of options to return your ballot. You can return it by mail, return it to your clerk's office on or before Election Day, or (depending on where you live) bring it either to your polling place or central count location on Election Day.

Nothing has changed for voters planning to vote in person during the early voting period or on Election Day.

The best thing you can do as a voter is to return your ballot by mail as soon as possible. Before mailing your ballot, make sure that you have signed the certificate envelope. You also need to make sure your witness has signed it and written the witness' full home address on it.

If you do want to vote by mail absentee ballot and want to return it by mail, we recommend at the latest putting it in the mail by Tuesday, March 29. After that, you should take it directly to your clerk's office.

If you have a disability that makes returning your ballot difficult, contact the Disability Rights Wisconsin Voter Hotline at 844-347-8683 or email [email protected].

And don't worry. If you have questions or run into problems at the polls, reach out to Wisconsin Election Protection on Facebook, @EPWisco on Twitter, or by email at [email protected].

For more information, go to myvote.wi.gov to track the progress of your absentee ballot and ensure it has been received by your clerk.

Sincerely,

Melinda Brennan
Pronouns: She, her, ella
Executive Director, ACLU of Wisconsin