City of Madison Logo

Absentee Voting

Absentee ballots are available 21 days prior to the Spring Primary and Spring Election, and 30 days prior to the Fall Primary and General Election.

Voting by absentee ballot:

There are two ways to obtain an absentee ballot:

1. In person: Come to the Clerk's Office at the City-County Building, 210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, Room 103, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday thru Friday. The Clerk's Office is also open the Saturday before each election for absentee voting. See the City Calendar at http://www.cityofmadison.com/cityCalendar/ for more details.

2. By mail: Absentee ballots will be mailed to registered voters if a written request is submitted.

You do not need to use a form, however. You can send a written request that must include:

  • Name,
  • Madison address,
  • Address to which the ballot should be mailed,
  • Signature.

Mail the request to City Clerk, City-County Building, Room 103, 210 Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd., Madison, WI 53703-3342. Ballots will be mailed out through the Thursday before the election. Absentee ballots must be received in the City Clerk's Office on or before election day. Ballots received after the election date will not be counted.

You must be registered to vote at your current address to receive an absentee ballot.

If you are not registered at your current address you must bring acceptable proof of residence or have an elector from the City of Madison accompany you to the City Clerk's Office. The witness must present proof of residence. Voter registrants must provide their Wisconsin Driver's License / Wisconsin ID Number or, if they have no state driver's license, the last four digits of their Social Security Number.

Any of the following may be used as proof if it contains the address of residence:

  • A current and valid Wisconsin driver’s license or Wisconsin identification card.
  • Any other official identification card or license issued by a Wisconsin governmental body or unit
  • An identification card issued by an employer in the normal course of business, which has a photograph of the cardholder, but not a business card.
  • A real estate tax bill or receipt for the current year or the year preceding the date of the election.
  • A residential lease.
  • A UW-Madison or Edgewood College ID card with a photograph of the cardholder, if student is listed on certified housing list.
  • A utility bill for the period commencing not earlier than 90 days before the election.
  • A bank statement.
  • A paycheck.
  • A check or other document issued by a unit of government.

You can also register by mail by printing and filling out a voter registration form:

Application for Absentee Ballot: English (PDF) / Spanish (PDF) / Hmong (PDF) - WI State Elections Board

You can mail this in with the proper identification listed on the form along with your request for an absentee ballot.

To receive an absentee ballot on a permanent basis:

If you are indefinitely confined due to age, illness, infirmity or disability, you can receive an absentee ballot on a permanent basis by printing out and mailing in this form: Permanent Absentee Ballot Request (PDF)

Please call the Clerk's Office at 266-4601 if you have any questions.