MILWAUKEE, WI – The Wisconsin Elections Commission reminds voters that if they don’t have an acceptable photo ID, they still have time to get a document to vote.
“If you don’t have an acceptable photo ID, you can get one for free after just one visit to a Wisconsin DMV office through the ID Petition Process (IDPP),” said Michael Haas, administrator of the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
“Just bring whatever identifying documents you have like a birth certificate and proof of your current address, but if you don’t have one, the DMV will still give you a document with your photo that you can use for voting,” said Haas, Wisconsin’s chief elections official. Starting the week of Oct. 31, the DMV will send you the photo ID document by overnight delivery. Voters who find they do not have an acceptable ID on Election Day should go to the DMV as soon as possible.
Most people already have the photo ID they need to vote like a Wisconsin driver license, ID card or other DMV-issued document. Voters can also use military and veteran’s IDs, some student IDs, tribal IDs, or a certificate of naturalization. The full list is available at www.bringit.wi.gov.
Your photo ID does not need to have your current address, and your name on your ID does not have to exactly match the name on the poll list.
If you do not have a photo ID on Election Day, or if poll workers say your ID is not acceptable, you can still cast a provisional ballot that will be counted if you bring an acceptable ID to the clerk’s office by 4 p.m. the Friday after the election.
One thing voters do not have time to do is wait to mail back their absentee ballots, Haas said.
The law has changed and absentee ballots must be delivered to the municipal clerk’s office by Election Day or they will not be counted. When your ballot is postmarked does not matter. To give USPS enough time to do its job, the Elections Commission urges absentee voters to put their ballots in the mail one week before Election Day.