Training Q&A
The webinar for the 2024 Spring Election is available for replay. You can also review the handout. Remember to record that you have completed the training through your training portal.
Chief Inspectors can get the link to their Zoom training through their training portal.
Questions from Training
What if the poll book says "Have you moved?" next to a voter's name?
That means the state has reason to believe this person may have moved. If they come to vote, we ask if they have moved. If they have changed their voting address, send them to the voter registration station.
What if a student states their address at the poll book by giving the name of the dorm and the room number?
You can use common sense. You have the street address of each residence hall in your ward at your polling place.
If a voter has an expired Wisconsin driver license, should they still put that number on the registration form?
They may put the number of their expired license on the registration form. But they are not required to do so.
Don't you need to prove where you live and prove who you are when you register to vote?
You prove your address when you register to vote. You prove your identity at the poll book. What you can use to prove your address is different from what you can use to prove your identity. This can be confusing. To minimize confusion, we completely separate these steps. The voter proves their address to the poll worker at the registration table. They prove their identity to the poll worker at the new registration poll list.
Can poll workers read the referenda questions aloud if requested by a voter?
Yes, they can.
What if a person brings in a lease that goes into effect on April 15th. They have already moved out of their previous apartment because that lease ended March 31st. That address might have even been in the same ward. They are just staying with friends for the two week. Can they vote in this election? If so, where? My question is what to do with people who are in between residences, aren't previously registered to vote, and want to same day register.
This voter would vote at the polling place for the address where their lease ended on March 31. If they hadn't been previously registered, they would register to vote at that previous address because they have not had 28 days to establish residency for a new address. They would need proof of address for that old address.
If a Madison voter has a Verona zip code, how do they list their address on the voter registration form?
Zip codes do not line up with municipal boundaries, and that is okay. It can be confusing for the voter, but the Clerk's Office will be able to process the registration even if the voter lists the municipality in the wrong place. Technically, Madison would be the city, and Verona would be the "mailing municipality."
If registration by mail ended on March 13 but is available at absentee voting sites, will the registrations from absentee sites be included on the poll book?
Voters who register at absentee voting sites will be on the supplemental poll list in the back of your poll book.
Can we pre-initial ballots?
No. Both officials need to initial the ballot in front of the voter.
Did you say that the ExpressVote makes you choose a party?
Yes, for partisan primaries, the ExpressVote has the voter select a party and then vote within the party. The ExpressVote will not accept cross-over votes for a partisan primary.
If someone is registering at the polls and does not have an ID, we offer them a provisional ballot. If they do not want to vote provisionally, can they still register?
Yes, they can. Do not assign them a voter number or add them to the new registration poll list. In this case, we ask that you paperclip the registration to the outside of the yellow accordion folder for completed registration forms. Please write "did not vote" at the top of the form.
I have found that MyVote is a valuable tool for helping voters determine where to vote. Is it okay if I use my cell phone or tablet for this purpose when I am the greeter?
Yes. In fact, that is one of the reasons we are looking into using some of our savings from the February Primary to purchase an iPad for each polling place.
When will tabulators be tested?
The Public Test of Election Equipment will be at 2713 E Washington Avenue on Saturday, March 23. The public test begins at 9 a.m. Anyone is welcome to observe.
Where can the explanations of yes/no votes be found?
You will find the explanations in your red signage folder and post them with your sample ballots and other signage. We will post a copy on our website in case you would like to see the explanations now.
When do we tally write-in votes?
We tally write-in votes in three situations.
- The person registered as an official write-in candidate by noon the Friday before the election. In this case, the Clerk's Office would have their name listed on your write-in tally sheet.
- There are fewer candidates for an office than the number of positions a voter may select for that office. For example, the ballot says Vote for One, but there are no candidate names listed. Or the ballot says Vote for Two, but only one candidate name is listed. In this case, the write-in tally sheet from the Clerk's Office will tell you to tally all write-in votes for that office.
- A candidate listed on the ballot for that office dies before Election Day. In this case, the write-in tally sheet from the Clerk's Office will tell you to tally all write-in votes for that office.
Will the tabulator separate ballots that have write-in votes?
No.
Do we have new curbside voting signs?
No, but we hope to purchase better signs in the future.
Who needs to fill out a W-4 form?
The Clerk's Office will contact every poll worker who needs to submit a W-4.
Will the Voter ID requirements for April be the same in November?
Yes, unless there is a change in state law or a court ruling that changes these rules.
What phone number should curbside voters call?
608-266-4601
If an address on an absentee certificate goes outside of the box, is that okay?
Yes, that is okay.
Which court issued the witness address injunction?
Dane County Circuit Court issued the injunction.
Is rejecting an absentee ballot based on the witness address a decision for the Chief Inspector?
The Chief Inspector would first need to call the Clerk's Office. We would seek advice from the City Attorney.
How many absentee ballots can a person drop off?
The restriction is that a voter must drop off their own absentee. There is an exception for voters who need help because of a disability. There is no limit on how many voters ask the same person for help.
Why do we check absentee envelopes against the ineligible list?
Because that is required by state law.
Haven't the voters on the poll book already been checked against the ineligible list?
Yes.
Can someone use a driver license from another state as voter ID?
No, they cannot.
Could a Navajo tribal ID card be used for voter ID?
Yes.
Can one official pre-initial ballots?
No, the state wants the ballots initialed in front of the voter.
The phrase "do not currently intend to move" is confusing. Is there a time limit? What if someone intends to move next year?
Yes, that phrase could be misleading. It doesn't mean that the voter intends to remain at this address forever. It means the voter does not consider this address a temporary location.
If someone is registering to vote but does not have proof of address, can they vote provisionally?
No, they do not qualify for a provisional ballot. Proof of address is not a reason we can issue a provisional ballot.
Instead of requiring the last 4 or 2 digits of an account number, why don't you just make it the last 4 digits?
This requirement comes from state law.
Can a voter drop off their absentee ballot at an in-person absentee voting site?
Yes, during voting hours at those sites.
What if someone wants to deliver an absentee ballot for their spouse who does not have a disability?
We cannot accept that absentee.
How should we respond if we cannot accept an absentee that someone is trying to deliver?
Kindly explain that the state requires voters to return their own ballot unless they need help returning the ballot due to a disability.
Do we need to document that an absentee ballot was delivered in person?
Yes, document that on the third page of the absentee portion of the Inspectors' Statement. The absentee portion of the Inspectors' Statement is in the absentee binder.
What if the hand-delivered absentee ballot is not being delivered on behalf of someone who needs help due to a disability?
We cannot accept that absentee ballot.
What do we do if someone starts talking about politics?
Explain that we do not allow political discussions in our polling places. If they continue, notify the Chief Inspector.
Are the questions we ask someone delivering an absentee ballot new?
We have been asking those questions for a few years now. We started asking those questions when the court ruled that voters must return their own absentee.
Are bilingual poll workers allowed to speak to a voter in Spanish?
Yes, if the voter speaks Spanish.
If someone registering to vote does not have their driver license with them, can they just list the last four digits of their Social Security number?
No, the Help America Vote Act requires that voters with a current a valid Wisconsin Driver License list that license number on their registration form.
Is advanced pregnancy considered a disability for someone returning their absentee ballot?
It is the voter who determines whether they need help returning an absentee ballot due to their disability. We are not prying into the details of the disability. We are not making judgments about the severity of the disability. Pregnancy complications are none of our business. We are only asking the questions the City Attorney has given us to ask.
Do we check that the absentee certificate is complete before accepting the delivery of an absentee?
Yes.