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Spring Primary: What’s on the ballot, and what you need to vote

Source: Wisconsin Elections Commission

Spring Primary: What’s on the ballot, and what you need to vote

Here's what you need to know about casting your ballot today.

February 20, 2024 8:31 AM CDT

By: Jimmie Kaska

WISCONSIN (Civic Media) – Today is the Spring Primary in Wisconsin, and across the state, candidate fields will be narrowed down for local county and municipal offices.

In addition, seven school districts are asking 10 referendum questions that total over $219 million.

Here is information that you need to know for the Spring Primary, with polls open today from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

What’s on the ballot?

There are no statewide referendum questions or primaries being held in 2024. That means the only things that voters could see on their ballots will involve county, municipal, or school board elections, or school district referendum questions. For some voters, there are no ballots being issued today, so there’s no reason to head to the polls.

While some counties, such as La Crosse and Richland, have notified voters that there are no primaries being held today, in many places, it may not be as clear.

First, you can check and see if there is a primary today by checking your address at MyVote Wisconsin. If you have an election today, you can view a sample ballot before you head to the polls to vote. You can also check your voter registration status and find your polling place if you have a primary to vote in today.

Second, if you live in the school districts of Burlington, Cumberland, Menomonie, River Falls, Shiocton, Waterford, or Wilmot, you will have a school referendum question on your ballot. For River Falls, Shiocton, and Waterford, you will actually have two referendum questions.

Third, if you still aren’t sure, or are having problems with accessing election information online, you can call or email your county or municipal clerk. A full directory of clerks in Wisconsin is available from the Wisconsin Elections commission.

What do I need to vote?

You will need a photo ID to vote. The Wisconsin DMV and DOT issues free identification for the purposes of voting, even on election day. You can learn more about that process on Wisconsin’s elections website.

If you need to register to vote, you can do that on Election Day in Wisconsin. You’ll need proof of residence, and you can find the documents you need on the state’s election website. Wisconsin allows for same-day voter registration, so even if you missed the pre-election deadlines, you can still get registered to vote today.

A full list of acceptable voting documents, including photo ID, is available on the Wisconsin Elections Commission website. For more information, you can find a DMV service centeremail the DMV, or call the DMV and voter ID hotline at 844-588-1069.

How can I find election results?

Civic Media stations will update primary election results from today over the air on most of its stations; some areas do not have primary elections today, but will still cover some of the bigger results from around Wisconsin.

County and municipal clerks will be providing updates tonight on their election results websites. You can find a list of county clerk websites that will show election results on Wisconsin’s election information page.

The polls close at 8 p.m. across Wisconsin. If you are in line to vote at 8 p.m., do not get out of line. You can still vote after 8 p.m. if you stay in line, but if you leave the line, you won’t be able to fill out a ballot.

Election officials have until midnight to post preliminary vote totals. For primaries, results are usually posted within an hour or two. Canvassing doesn’t take place until the days after the primary or election.

I still want to learn more about Wisconsin elections.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has set up a portal for everything election-related, from filing deadlines, absentee voting, voting in person, voter registration, and ballot information all the way to campaign finance reports, lists of candidates and referenda across the state, and the process to getting on the ballot.

The 2024 Spring Primary is today, Feb. 20, with the 2024 Spring election on April 2. The 2024 Fall Primary is on Aug. 13, while the 2024 General Election will be held on Nov. 5.

To find your voter registration status, see a sample ballot, or look up your voter information, you can visit MyVote Wisconsin.

For information on Wisconsin’s elections, you can visit the Wisconsin Elections Commission. You can also see who has registered to run in different races and see candidate nomination paperwork.

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