Accessible Voting in Wisconsin
For the Tuesday, November 8, 2022 General Election in Wisconsin
- Same day voter registration is available.
- All voters can request a ballot by mail.
- Early voting locations are open before Election Day
- Check to see if an accessible vote-by-mail system is available.
Accessible Voting Tips
As a voter with a disability, you have a right to vote privately and independently, at an accessible voting location, on an accessible voting system.
If you need more information or assistance using your right to vote, these organizations can help
- Visit your state Accessible Voting page or call (608) 266-8005 or (866) VOTE-WIS (868-3947) for the options available in your state.
- Contact your local election office for help voting and details about local support for accessible voting.
- Your local Center for Independent Living has information and other support.
- Call your state National Disability Rights Network (NRDN) Protection & Advocacy office if someone is interfering with your right to vote.
- If you are a first-time voter or moved recently, check the voter ID requirements in your state. VoteRiders has information about the types of identification accepted.
- You can also call 1-800-OUR-VOTE to report any problems voting.
Your rights
As a voter with a disability, you have a right to:
- Vote privately and independently
- At an accessible polling place
- Using an accessible voting system
If you need assistance you can:
- Ask an election worker, or
- Bring someone to help you
You may request your local election officials to tell you about any voting aids, voting assistance, and absentee ballot procedures that are available.
Election officials must make any reasonable accommodations you need to vote. This might include
- A place to sit if you have trouble standing
- A quiet, private place to vote
You cannot be refused the right to vote because an election worker thinks your disability means you are not qualified to vote.
Open the sections on this page to learn more about accessible options for early voting, voting in person on election day, and voting by mail.
Accessible voting features in Wisconsin for voters with disabilities
- Sign up to automatically receive a ballot by mail for all elections
- Check with your local election office to see if an accessible vote-by-mail system is available
Ask your local election office about other support for accessible voting, like:
- Election and voting information in large print, audio, or Braille versions.
- Curbside or drive-up voting, so you don’t have to get out of your car.
- Ballot delivery to your home or a “ride to the polls” program.
- An opportunity to practice using the accessible voting system.
- Emergency voting options if you are hospitalized or ill.
- How to get assistance in marking and casting your ballot.
- Other services or assistance for voters with disabilities.
Learn more about the laws that protect your rights
Early voting is voting in person before Election Day, which is usually less crowded than going to vote on Election Day itself. There are different kinds of early voting, so check the options available for you. They might include:
- vote centers where you can vote at any location in your jurisdiction
- super polling places where you are assigned a location
- voting at an elections office or satellite office
- in-person absentee, where you go to an elections office, get your mail ballot, and then mark and cast it in the office.
Early voting is called in-person absentee voting in Wisconsin.
October 25 through November 6, early voting is available at county clerks' offices, courthouses, or other public buildings during business hours
Early voting hours and locations can vary. Check with your local elections office.
- All voters are asked to show a photo ID.
- Voters without ID can sign an affidavit.
Find an early voting center near you.
When you vote in person on Election Day, you go to a voting center to mark and cast your ballot in person. Every in-person voting location is required to have accessible voting systems available.
Polling places are open from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.
- Same-day registration is available at all Election Day voting locations.
- All voters are asked to show a photo ID.
- Voters without ID can sign an affidavit.
You can drop off your mail ballot at your local elections office on Election Day.
Find your polling place.
Accessible voting systems for in-person voting
The accessible voting systems used in Wisconsin are shown below. Contact your local election office for more information or a change to practice using the system you will vote on.
AutoMARK
A ballot marking device.
It has a touchscreen, audio, and tactile controls on the front of the device.
The printed ballot is a facsimile of a hand-marked paper ballot.
Ballots are cast at a separate scanner.
Learn more about using an AutoMARK
- Short video from Wisconsin Elections (YouTube 3:55)
- Video from NY City Board of Elections (YouTube 13:47)
Clear Ballot ClearAccess
A ballot marking device.
It has a touchscreen, audio, and tactile controls on a small keypad.
The printed ballot is a facsimile of a hand-marked paper ballot.
Ballots are cast at a separate scanner.
Learn more about using ClearAccess
- Short video tutorial from Clear Ballot (YouTube 1:49)
- Clear Access product page
- Information about ClearAccess 2.0 from Pennsylvania
Dominion ImageCast X (DRE)
A voting system where votes are recorded electronically.
It has a touchscreen, audio, and tactile controls on a small keypad.
May include a paper audit trail (VVPAT), printed and viewed behind glass.
Learn more about using Dominion ICX These videos cover the use of this system as a ballot marking device
- Short video tutorial from Pennsylvania (YouTube 2:32)
- Short video tutorial from Sacramento (YouTube 3:40)
- Longer instructional video from Michigan (YouTube 15:16)
Dominion ImageCast Evolution
A ballot marking device attached to a ballot scanner.
It has a touchscreen, audio, and tactile controls on a small keypad.
The ballot is printed internally and cast on the same device.
The printed ballot is a facsimile of a hand-marked paper ballot.
ES&S ExpressVote
A ballot marking device.
It has a touchscreen, audio, and tactile controls on a small keypad.
The printed ballot is a list of selections printed on a narrow card.
Ballots are cast at a separate scanner.
Learn more about using ExpressVote
- Short video tutorial from Pennsylvania (YouTube 1:53)
- Video from Michigan (You Tube 12:29)
- Information about ExpressVote from Pennsylvania
Sequoia AVC Edge
An electronic voting system.
It has a touchscreen and tactile controls.
Some systems have a paper record for review casting the ballot.
Learn more about using the AVC Edge without a paper record
- A voter demo video from York, PA (YouTube 5:39)
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Voting by mail can be an accessible option for voters with disabilities. It lets you vote at home, so you can mark, verify and return a paper ballot privately and independently. Some states have emergency options if you are hospitalized or ill. |
Deadline to return your ballot:
Received by 8:00 pm on Election Day, November 8.
How to get your ballot
- All voters can request a ballot.
- Voters can sign up to receive a ballot request for all elections in a year.
- Voters with disabilities can sign up to receive a ballot for all future elections.
To get your ballot you can:
- Request a ballot online.
- Check the identification requirements on the request form carefully.
- You must provide a photocopy of a state-issued photo ID, such as your driver's license.
- If you request a ballot online, you may need to provide the number from a state-issued photo ID or your Social Security Number.
How to return your ballot
By mail
At your local elections office
Find a ballot drop-off location near you at your local elections website.
Make sure your ballot counts! Remember...
Make sure your ballot is sealed in the envelope.
Sign the form on the envelope.
Have a witness sign the form on the envelope.
Postage is pre-paid so you don't need a stamp.
Return your ballot promptly. Postmarks don't count.
- Ask your local elections office who can return your ballot for you.
- If someone helped you, have them complete the form for assistants.
Learn about accessible voting by mail options in the next card.
Accessible voting by mail allows voters with disabilities to mark a mail-in ballot electronically, using their own technology and assistive tools.
To use accessible tools for voting by mail, typically voters:
- Download an electronic ballot to mark using personal technology
- Print the ballot and any signature form
- Seal the ballot in an envelope
- Return it by mail or to a ballot drop off locatoin
Some states allow electronic return by email, fax, or a secure portal.
There is no statewide accessible vote by mail program in Wisconsin
Ask your local election office what options are available to help you vote by mail. For example:
- Home visits by election workers who can help you complete your vote by mail ballot.
Learn more about accessible voting options in Wisconsin