Your voting rights in Wisconsin

Here’s what you need to know to cast your vote on or before the Nov. 3, 2026 midterm election.

Voter registration requirements and deadlines

Use the UpNorthNews Voter Guide to look up your registration status. You can search by using your name and address.

Not registered? Wednesday, Oct. 14 is the last day to register by mail (postmarked) or online. After this date, you can still register at your municipal clerk’s office by 5 p.m. on Oct. 30. If you miss these deadlines, you can register in-person at your polling place on Election Day.

Wisconsin residents are eligible to vote if they meet the following criteria:

Are a US citizen
Will be 18 years of age on or before Election Day
Have resided in Wisconsin for at least 28 consecutive days before Election Day
Are not currently serving a felony sentence, including probation/parole

Click here to register online for the Nov. 3 election.

Voter ID requirements

Wisconsin requires a photo ID to vote both on Election Day and during early voting. However, you can still vote without an ID by signing a form that confirms your identity and presenting an acceptable form of ID to your municipal clerk’s office by 4:00 p.m. on the Friday after the election.

Click here to learn more about Voter ID laws in Wisconsin.

Find your polling location

Polling locations are determined by a voter’s registration address, and can change between elections. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time. If a voter is in line by 8 p.m. they are entitled to stay in line until they are able to cast their ballot.

Use the UpNorthNews Voter Guide to find your polling place.

Voting early and absentee

Early in person voting

Voters can request and cast an absentee ballot in-person at their municipal clerk’s office Tuesday, Oct. 20-Sunday, Nov. 1. Office hours vary by municipality, and some municipal offices may not offer additional in-person absentee hours. Check with your municipal clerk for more information.

Voting absentee

Any registered Wisconsin voter can request for an absentee ballot and vote by mail. Here are the deadlines to keep in mind:

Oct. 29, 5 p.m.: This is the deadline for regular and overseas voters to request an absentee ballot.
Nov. 3, 8 p.m..: This is the deadline to return your absentee ballot. Mail your absentee ballot at least two weeks before Election Day to avoid postal delays, or use a ballot drop box or hand-deliver it to your clerk.

Click here for a full calendar of election deadlines, including deadlines for indefinitely confined, military, and hospitalized voters.

Voting with a disability

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) are federal laws that protect a person’s right to vote privately and independently. These laws also require polling places to be accessible and guarantee people with disabilities the right to cast their ballot using an accessible voting machine. Voters with disabilities can request accommodations for both absentee ballots and in-person voting.

Visit Wisconsin’s Disability Vote Coalition’s Voter Toolkit for more information.

Language assistance

Under federal law, voters who have difficulty reading or writing in English can receive in-person assistance at the polls from the person of their choice. This can not be the voter’s employer or an agent or officer of the voter’s union.

Click here to learn more about language rights in voting.

If you experience problems at the Polls

Voter intimidation

Voter intimidation is illegal. Examples include:

Aggressively questioning voters about their citizenship, criminal history, or eligibility to vote
Impersonating an election official
Posting false or misleading signs about voter fraud or criminal penalties
Spreading false information about voting rights
Harassing voters, especially non-English speakers and voters of color

If you see or experience voter intimidation, report it to your local election officials. You can also contact the Election Protection Hotline for assistance (see below).

Click here to learn how you can take a more active role in spotting voter suppression as an election observer.

Issues with finding your registration

If a poll worker tells you that you’re not on the list of registered voters, you can ask them to check the spelling of your name and if there is a supplemental list of voters. If your name still can not be found, confirm you’re at the correct polling location.

If you are registered at a different location, you will likely need to travel to that location to cast a regular ballot.
If you are at the correct polling location, you are entitled to a provisional ballot, even if you’re not in the poll book. Following the election, election officials will determine whether you are registered and qualified to vote. If you are qualified and registered, they will count your provisional ballot.

You can also call the Election Protection Hotline for assistance.

Election Protection Hotline

If you run into any problems or have voting-related questions, call the Election Protection Hotline:

English: 1-866-OUR-VOTE / 1-866-687-8683
Spanish: 1-888-VE-Y-VOTA / 1-888-839-8682
Arabic: 1-844-YALLA-US / 1-844-925-5287
For Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Urdu, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, or Vietnamese: 1-888-274-8683