Voting & Civic Engagement (ELCAvotes)
Deadlines for voting coming up!
Find more information at My Vote Wisconsin
Contact your municipal clerk to identify absentee ballot drop boxes in your community and to find out your local opportunities to early vote in person.
August 6, 2020 @ 5:00 p.m. – Deadline to Request an Absentee Ballot – Regular and Permanent Overseas Voters – If you are a regular or a Permanent Overseas Voter, your absentee ballot request must be received by your municipal clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on August 6, 2020.
August 7, 2020 @ 5:00 p.m. – Deadline to Request an Absentee Ballot-Indefinitely Confined – If you are indefinitely confined, your absentee ballot request must be received by your municipal clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on August 7, 2020.
Possibly through August 9, 2020 – Deadline for In-Person Absentee – Voters can possibly request and vote an absentee ballot in-person in their municipal clerk’s office through August 9, 2020. Office hours vary by municipality. Some municipal offices may not offer additional in-person absentee hours. Please contact your municipal clerk for absentee voting hours.
August 11, 2020 @ 5:00 p.m. – Deadline for Hospitalized Voters – Voters who are in a hospital may request a ballot be brought to them by an appointed agent if they are hospitalized in the 7 days preceding the election. Hospitalized electors may request an absentee ballot between August 4, 2020 and August 11, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.
August 11, 2020 @ 5:00 p.m. – Deadline to Request an Absentee Ballot-Military – If you are a voter in the military, your absentee ballot request must be received by your municipal clerk no later than 5:00 p.m. on August 11, 2020.
August 11, 2020 @ 8:00 p.m. – Deadline to Return Absentee Ballot – You must return your absentee ballot by mail or delivery to your municipal clerk, your polling place, or a local dropbox established by your clerk. Your ballot must be received by your municipal clerk no later than 8:00 p.m on August 11, 2020.
Recent Supreme Court Decisions
In June 2020, the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that in-person absentee voting will only be allowed for 14 days, compared to the six weeks it was offered in the last Presidential Election. “In the last Presidential Election, over 57,000 people voted by early in-person absentee voting.
This reduction in time will exacerbate long lines and make it harder to provide safety during the pandemic and efficiency at the poll sites. It will decrease voters rights. We are going backwards.
Ban on email and fax delivery of ballots to domestic civilian voters: This was a pre-pandemic case. There is another effort in a separate case to ask for electronic transmissions as an option related specifically to the pandemic.
A mandate was issued on July 29 by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in the One Wisconsin Institute case meaning that this ruling is now in effect. Please review the summary of changes below to determine how this decision impacts voting laws and procedures and how you will need to update any training and documentation provided to your staff and election inspectors for the upcoming August and November elections.
On June 29, 2020 the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals issued its ruling in the One Wisconsin Institute case that had been on appeal since 2016. WEC provided further guidance on July 2, 2020 that the Wisconsin Department of Justice determined that the 7th Circuit decision was not in effect until the mandate was issued. All aspects of the ruling are now in effect and should be applied to the deadlines and procedures used to administer the August 11, 2020 Partisan Primary: Learn more here.
Letter to Governor Evers Regarding DMV Services (2)
Special Message from Governor Tony Evers and Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes on the Upcoming Election: Gov Evers Msg on VOTING
Because of the Coronavirus, we are no longer recruiting poll workers for April 7.
Find info on voting early and what’s on your ballot at My Vote
CENSUS AND OTHER CIVIC ENGAGEMENT RESOURCES FROM OUR DC OFFICE! Also scroll down for some of the links to our national resources.
ELCAvotes buttons “2020 brings a new decade and a new presidential election! Get ready A for the vote and order our ever popular #ELCAvotes buttons from Old Lutheran
NEW! Census 2020 Awareness Building Tool Kit
ELCAvotes Bible Study from the Margins
Voting Rights and Racial Justice
From LOPPW:
