LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF WISCONSIN ® 612 W. Main Street, #200 Madison, WI 53703 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 15, 2014 Phone: (608) 256-0827 http://www.lwvwi.org Contact: Andrea Kaminski, Executive Director 608-‐256-‐0827; [email protected] IN-‐PERSON ABSENTEE VOTING BEGINS MONDAY MADISON: Beginning Monday, October 20, you will be able to vote at your municipal clerk’s office or, in Milwaukee, at the Milwaukee Election Commission. In Wisconsin “early voting” is actually in-‐person absentee voting, and your ballot will not be counted until Election Day. Although clerks may offer early voting from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday until October 31, you should check with own your clerk to find out what hours are available in your community. “Early voting is a good option for anyone who is not sure they’ll have the opportunity to vote on Election Day, and it may be a way to avoid lines and waiting,” said Andrea Kaminski, executive director of League of Women Voters of Wisconsin. You can register to vote in your clerk’s office – on the same day as you cast an absentee ballot, if you wish – through Friday, October 31. You may also register and vote at your polling place on Election Day, Tuesday, November 4. “We are on the countdown now, and voters should make plans for how they will participate in this election. There are important races that will determine the future of our state and nation, including Wisconsin Governor and Attorney General, as well as members of Congress and the state Legislature,” Kaminski said. According to the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board the state had 3,385,151 registered voters as of October 1, compared to 3,467,021 registered voters in October 2012. The state’s current voting-‐age population is 4,416,501. “There are about 81,000 fewer registered voters this year than two years ago, and there are a million people of voting age who have not registered. They should do it now. There is still time to register and vote,” Kaminski said. Registered voters are not required to show a photo ID in order to receive a regular ballot and have it counted, by order of the U.S. Supreme Court (October 9, 2014). To check your registration status and polling place, and to fill out a registration form, go to the GAB’s My Vote Wisconsin website (myvote.wi.gov) or go to your clerk’s office. You will have to sign the form and bring it to your clerk by October 31 or to your polling place on Election Day. You will have to provide proof of residence, such as a valid Wisconsin driver’s license or state ID card, residential lease, utility bill or bank statement with your name and current address on it. For information about the candidates on your ballot, including candidates’ answers to key policy questions, see the League’s online voter guide VOTE411.org. # The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan organization that advocates for informed and active participation in government. Membership is open to women and men of all ages. There are 17 local Leagues in Wisconsin. Find the League on Facebook.