May 16 Deadlines

Deputy Registrars

All voter registration forms must be returned to the municipal clerk's office by the close of business today (4:30 for most clerks). The City of Madison clerk will accept any registration forms for the City of Madison that are turned in to a Madison Public Library branch by 5 pm today.

Registration By Mail

This afternoon is the last chance to pre-register by mail to vote in the June 5 recall elections; your registration will have to be postmarked with today's date. If you miss that deadline, you can still register at your municipal clerk's office before the election or at your polling place on Election Day. Bring an official proof of residence document. To register, you will be asked to provide the number of your Wisconsin Driver's License or Wisconsin ID, if you have one. If you do not have one, you may provide the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. If you don't have any of these numbers, your clerk will assign a voter number for you. These IDs will not be needed to vote, once you are registered.

You have questions. We have answers.

Please see our Voting Information 2012 page for resources and information about how the requirements and procedures for voting in Wisconsin have changed for 2012.

Recall Elections

On Tuesday, June 5, there will be Recall Elections for Governor, Lt. Governor, and four State Senators in Districts 13 (parts of Dane County are in this district), 21, 23 and 29 (these three districts do not include Dane County). To see the candidates on your ballot, visit vpa.wi.gov (beginning May 21).

In-person absentee voting will begin on Monday, May 21, and will conclude on Friday, June 1, at 5 pm or the close of business, whichever is later in your municipality. New absentee voting laws became effective on April 20. It is now a felony to vote at the polls if you have returned your absentee ballot to the Clerk’s Office. Previously, you could change your mind about who you were voting for and could cast a vote at the polls as long as you arrived at the polling place before they processed your absentee ballot. Now absentee voters may only change their vote if they request a new ballot from the Clerk by the deadline for requesting an absentee ballot (5 p.m. the Thursday before the election for most voters, 5 p.m. the Friday before the election for indefinitely confined and military voters, and the close of business the Friday before the election for in-person absentee voters).

For more information about the Recall Elections, please visit the Government Accountability Board website.

The League of Women Voters will not be producing a voter guide for the recall elections. However, Wisconsin Public Television and Radio has a good site with nonpartisan information about candidates.

In the case of League of Women Voters of Wisconsin Education Fund v. Walker et al.

"Judgment is rendered declaring 2011 Wisconsin Act 23’s photo ID requirements unconstitutional to the extent they serve as a condition for voting at the polls. Moreover, defendants are permanently enjoined forthwith from any further implementation or enforcement of those provisions." ––Hon. Judge Richard Niess, Dane County Circuit Court  Read Judge Niess's ruling.

Earlier, Dane County Judge David Flanagan granted a temporary injunction barring enforcement of the voter ID law in the April 3 election. This was requested by the Milwaukee Branch of the NAACP and Voces de la Frontera. It indicates that the judge believes their lawsuit has merit, and that eligible citizens could be disenfranchised by the law before the trial on April 16.

On March 28,  the Wisconsin Court of Appeals sent the League of Women Voters' voter ID lawsuit to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, along with the lawsuit brought by NAACP and Voces de la Frontera. The appellate court also sent up motions to expedite the appeals and to stay the two injunctions that are blocking the ID law. The Supreme Court may accept or reject these appeals.

It is important to note that Wisconsin’s Photo ID law remained enjoined for the April 3 elections.

You can learn more about the state League's challenge to Wisconsin's Photo Voter ID law and make a contribution to their legal effort on their website.

The League of Women Voters of Dane County announces a project to assist eligible voters in obtaining the required ID to vote, and a fund-raising drive to assist area voters to obtain the documentation necessary to get a Department of Transportation (DOT) ID for voting purposes. Citizens seeking assistance can call our office and leave a message requesting help. Tax-deductible contributions to help fund this project may be mailed to LWVDC, 2712 Marshall Court, Suite 2, Madison, WI 53705, or make a contribution now through PayPal using the Donate button below.

Since its inception in February, 1920, the League of Women Voters has worked to safeguard the rights of voters. We are encouraging eligible voters in Wisconsin to check the expiration date on their WI driver License or DOT-issued identification card, and to talk to friends and neighbors who may have to get a photo ID in order to vote.

Learn more.

The Government Accountability Board (GAB) is no longer able to train statewide Special Registration Deputies. If you wish to  register voters, you must become certified by a city clerk. To register voters in Madison, you can watch a video online, complete a form and a quiz, sign it, and send it in. Your certification will be good for two years for registering Madison voters ONLY. To register residents of other towns and municipalities, contact the relevant municipal clerk. Many clerks accept Madison certification. Our Voting Information 2012 page has contact information.

Tax-deductible contributions can be made to the League of Women Voters of Dane County. Please mail or deliver to our office at 2712 Marshall Court, Madison, WI 53705. Or Donate through PayPal using your PayPal account or credit card.

Thank you for your support!

LWVDC announces the release of the second edition of its publication Dane County Government: Services and Organizational Structure.  This document is the result of months of hard work by League members and friends, especially Mary Bean, Carol Dutton, Kathleen Fullin, Clare McArdle, Pam Rewey, and Dorothy Wheeler, with help from Kris Frater, Diane Larson, and Maddy Smilowitz. We invite you to read it and learn about your county government!