Student Voting Project | Wisconsin

Voting at School

ID Requirements

If you register after the third Wednesday before the election and you are registering to vote in Wisconsin for the first time, you must provide proof of residency when you register to vote. If you do not have acceptable proof of residency at the time you seek to register in person, you will still be allowed to register if another voter who is registered in your district and can show proof of residence signs a statement confirming that you are, in fact, a resident. If you register by mail, you will have to show similar proof either when you vote in person or by mail with your absentee ballot. If you register to vote on Election Day, you will also have to show proof of residence or get another voter to vouch for you as described above.

Your proof of residence can be a Wisconsin driver's license, non-driver's ID, or any other Wisconsin-issued ID card or license; an employee ID if it has a photo on it; a property tax bill; a residential lease (unless you're registering by mail); a student ID if it contains both your photo and address, or if or your school provided the clerk with a list of students who live in school housing; a utility bill dated within 90 days; a bank statement; a paycheck; or a government check or other document. Online printouts are not acceptable, but student housing bills or cellular telephone bills you receive in the mail should be accepted. Any document you show must have your current name and address

Registration Requirements

Wisconsin has Election Day registration, but you can also register by mail if your registration form is postmarked 20 days before the election, and in person at the municipal clerk's office up until the day before the election. You must live in Wisconsin for at least 10 days before you are allowed to register to vote. Advance in-person registration is available at your municipal clerk's office until 5:00 p.m. on the day before the election.

Residency Requirements

Students who lived in Wisconsin before moving elsewhere to attend school, and who wish to establish or keep their Wisconsin voting residency (i.e., at their parents' Wisconsin address), should have no problem doing so unless they've already registered to vote in another state. Like all states, Wisconsin allows students to keep their voting residency even if they move out of the district to attend school, and the only way you might lose this residency is by establishing residency in a new state. While registering to vote in another state is not automatically considered an abandonment of your Wisconsin residency, some judges or officials might view it as such. Casting a ballot in another state will definitely be considered an abandonment of your Wisconsin residency, and students who have voted in another state will have to re-establish residency in Wisconsin if they wish to vote there.

Challenges to Residency
Your registration can be challenged before the election by another registered voter or by elections officials. The challenger will have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you are not qualified to vote.

You can be challenged at the polls by another voter or a poll worker. You will be asked to take an oath and answer questions pertaining to your eligibility.

Absentee Requirement

Any registered voter may vote absentee. The mail-in absentee application is available on the web site of the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. Your municipal clerk must receive your application by 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday before Election Day. Your absentee ballot must be witnessed by an adult U.S. citizen. If you are a first-time voter who registered to vote by mail, you must include a copy of your proof of residence with your ballot. Your absentee ballot is due by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Voting at Home

ID Requirements

If you register after the third Wednesday before the election and you are registering to vote in Wisconsin for the first time, you must provide proof of residency when you register to vote. If you do not have acceptable proof of residency at the time you seek to register in person, you will still be allowed to register if another voter who is registered in your district and can show proof of residence signs a statement confirming that you are, in fact, a resident. If you register by mail, you will have to show similar proof either when you vote in person or by mail with your absentee ballot. If you register to vote on Election Day, you will also have to show proof of residence or get another voter to vouch for you as described above.

Your proof of residence can be a Wisconsin driver's license, non-driver's ID, or any other Wisconsin-issued ID card or license; an employee ID if it has a photo on it; a property tax bill; a residential lease (unless you're registering by mail); a student ID if it contains both your photo and address, or if or your school provided the clerk with a list of students who live in school housing; a utility bill dated within 90 days; a bank statement; a paycheck; or a government check or other document. Online printouts are not acceptable, but student housing bills or cellular telephone bills you receive in the mail should be accepted. Any document you show must have your current name and address

Registration Requirements

Wisconsin has Election Day registration, but you can also register by mail if your registration form is postmarked 20 days before the election, and in person at the municipal clerk's office up until the day before the election. You must live in Wisconsin for at least 10 days before you are allowed to register to vote. Advance in-person registration is available at your municipal clerk's office until 5:00 p.m. on the day before the election.

Residency Requirements

Wisconsin law clearly gives students the right to choose to move their voting residence to their school addresses by registering to vote at school. Generally, your residence is where you currently live without any present intention to move, your place of fixed habitation. Elections officials are not allowed to consider student status when determining your eligibility to vote.

Students who lived in Wisconsin before moving elsewhere to attend school, and who wish to establish or keep their Wisconsin voting residency (i.e., at their parents' Wisconsin address), should have no problem doing so unless they've already registered to vote in another state. Like all states, Wisconsin allows students to keep their voting residency even if they move out of the district to attend school, and the only way you might lose this residency is by establishing residency in a new state. While registering to vote in another state is not automatically considered an abandonment of your Wisconsin residency, some judges or officials might view it as such. Casting a ballot in another state will definitely be considered an abandonment of your Wisconsin residency, and students who have voted in another state will have to re-establish residency in Wisconsin if they wish to vote there.

Challenges to Residency

Your registration can be challenged before the election by another registered voter or by elections officials. The challenger will have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you are not qualified to vote.

You can be challenged at the polls by another voter or a poll worker. You will be asked to take an oath and answer questions pertaining to your eligibility.

Absentee Requirement

Any registered voter may vote absentee. The mail-in absentee application is available on the web site of the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board. Your municipal clerk must receive your application by 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday before Election Day. Your absentee ballot must be witnessed by an adult U.S. citizen. If you are a first-time voter who registered to vote by mail, you must include a copy of your proof of residence with your ballot. Your absentee ballot is due by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

[1] Wis. Stat. Ann. § 6.10(4) (West 2008).

[2] Id. § 6.10(1).

[3] Id. § 6.10(12).

[4] Id. § 6.10

[5] Wis. Stat. Ann. § 6.48 (West 2008) (challenging registration);

[6] Wis. Stat. Ann. § 6.92 (West 2008) (inspector making challenge); Wis. Stat. Ann. § 6.925 (West 2008) (elector making challenge).

[7] Wis. Stat. Ann. § 6.94 (West 2008).

[8] Wis. Stat. § 6.95 (West 2007) (appeals taken pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 9.01)

[9] Wis. Stat. Ann. § 6.55 (West 2008).

[10] Wis. Stat. Ann. § 6.28 (West 2008).

[11] Wis. Stat. Ann. § 6.29 (West 2008).

[12] Wis. Stat. Ann. § 6.02 (West 2008).

[13] Wis. Stat. Ann. § 6.34 (West 2008).

[14] Wis. Stat. Ann. § 6.29 (West 2008).

[15] Id.

[16] Wis. Stat. § 6.55

[17] Id.

[18] Interview with Steve Pickett, Elections Specialist, Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (July 9, 2008).

[19] Id.

[20] Wis. Stat. Ann. § 6.20 (West 2008).

[21] Wis. Stat. Ann. § 6.86 (West 2008).

[22] Id. § 6.87.

[23] Id.