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Special Voter Registration Deputy

Under State Statute 6.26, any qualified elector of the State of Wisconsin may apply to the City Clerk to be appointed as a Special Registration Deputy to register voters in the City of Madison. Any qualified elector of the State of Wisconsin may apply to the State Elections Board to be appointed to register voters in any Wisconsin municipality.

No individual may serve as a Special Registration Deputy unless he or she has completed at least one approved training program within the last two years. The Madison City Clerk offers training sessions every Monday at 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Plan to arrive on time; additional sessions are not offered for latecomers. Training sessions are held in the City Clerk's Office, Room 103 of the City-County Building, 210 Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard, Madison. Training sessions will not be held on the Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, or Labor Day. Training sessions are not offered when registration is closed. Please call 266-4601 in advance to make sure that the Clerk is not delayed in a meeting or unavailable on the day you plan to attend training.

No person may compensate a person who obtains voter registration forms from other persons based on a rate that varies relative to the number of registrations obtained. Anyone who violates this provision may be fined up to $1,000 or imprisoned for up to six months, or both.

Special Registration Deputies must print and sign their names on all registration forms. All registration forms accepted by Special Registration Deputies are subject to a postcard audit.

Special Registration Deputies cannot register voters when registration is closed, from the third Wednesday (20 days) before the election, through Election Day. When registration is closed, voters may only register in the City Clerk's Office, at the polls on Election Day, or as a hospitalized elector.

Registration for the September 9 Primary Election closes at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, August 20.

Registration for the November 4 General Election closes at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, October 15.

Voter Registration Application: English (PDF) / Spanish (PDF) / Hmong (PDF)

Individuals Deputized for 2007-2008

Note: Special Registration Deputies appointed by the Madison City Clerk's Office can register eligible voters who reside in the City of Madison only. Special Registration Deputies appointed by the Government Accountability Board (GAB) may register voters state-wide. To apply for a state-wide appointment, you must sign up for training at least one week in advance.

 

Special Registration Deputy Guidelines

Timely Submission of Completed Registration Applications

Voter registration applications must be submitted to the Clerk's Office within 10 business days of the date of registration. Do not accumulate applications and/or submit applications just prior to the close of registration. Special registration groups should establish safeguards for collecting applications from registrars and submitting them to the Clerk's Office without delay. Failure to submit registration forms to the Clerk's Office in a timely manner may result in the termination of your appointment as a Special Registration Deputy.

HAVA Checks

Under the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA), individuals whohold a current and valid Wisconsin driver's license must record the driver's license number on their voter registration application. Do not ask to see the voter's ID; the name, date of birth, and driver's license number are verified through the interface between the State Voter Registration System and the State Department of Transportation. This "HAVA Check" requires that the name recorded on the voter registration matches the name listed on the driver's license, state identification card, or Social Security card. For example, a person with the name "James" on their driver's license should use "James" and not  Jim" on their voter registration application. If the person does not have a current and valid driver's license or state identification card, the individual may record the last four digits of their social security number.

Terminating Special Registration Deputy Status

The City Clerk reserves the right to appoint and terminate Special Registration Deputies. The Clerk will terminate the status of any Special Registration Deputy that submits more than 15 incomplete or erroneous registration applications during their two-year term. The individual, as well as the individual's voter registration group or organization, will receive notification of the termination.

Record Confidentiality

If you will be maintaining a database or record of registered voters, you must maintain voter record confidentiality. While the registration applications can be photocopied or scanned, copies cannot include the individual's identification numbers (drivers' license or social security) OR their birthdates. 

Special Registration Groups

The Clerk's Office recognizes the value of groups and organizations conducting voter registration in order to encourage voter participation. Requests for scheduling special deputization sessions must be made at least 24 hours in advance by calling 266-4601. Due to scheduling conflicts, it may not be possible to accommodate every single request. Additional training sessions are not offered for latecomers. No special sessions will be held six weeks prior to an election, or the week of an election.