In-person absentee voting started March 19 and ends March 31, according to the City of Madison Clerk’s Office. Students looking to vote must show an ID to receive an absentee ballot at in-person absentee voting locations. Memorial Union and Union South are two locations on campus for in-person absentee voting. Other nearby locations include the Health Sciences Learning Center and Central Library. Students and other eligible voters can vote at these locations from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays until March 29, according to the Clerk’s Office.
Students may also register to vote at in-person absentee voting locations before or on Election Day with proof of address, according to the Clerk’s Office website. But, state law prohibits voter registration the Saturday, Sunday or Monday before each election, according to the City of Madison Clerk’s Office.
The spring 2024 election and presidential preference vote will take place Tuesday, April 2 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m, according to the City of Madison.
Though students may not be aware of what’s on the ballot or have a plan to vote, professor of political science and the director of the Elections Research Center at the University of Wisconsin Barry Burden said the election’s outcomes could affect their lives in Madison.
“These aren’t high-profile races that have a lot of campaign advertising or media coverage,” Burden said. “People aren’t necessarily talking about them every day the way they might have about a presidential race, but they are things that matter to people’s everyday lives and living in Madison as a student.”
Alongside the presidential preference selection, Burden said the ballot will include important local elections like races for Dane County Board and seats on the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education.
One reason why students may not understand their eligibility for absentee voting is that it is a new and seemingly overwhelming process for first-time voters, Burden says.
“It’s different from anything else we do in life,” Burden said. “It’s more bureaucratic, kind of awkward and just has a different feel to it than most other things. The ballot is kind of a strange document to look at.”
For students who are still traveling for spring break or otherwise cannot vote in person on Election Day, Burden says that in-person absentee voting may be a convenient option to participate in the upcoming election.
Potential voters may also opt for absentee voting by mail. The deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is March 28 at 5 p.m, according to My Vote Wisconsin.
Requests for absentee voting by mail submitted at this point may be at risk of not being counted due to the amount of time it takes for mail to be delivered, according to the City of Madison Clerk’s Office. Alternatively, voters can return their absentee ballot in person at any absentee voting site or their polling place on Election Day.
“Students have options, but it requires a little planning ahead of time to make sure that you know everything gets done by Election Day,” Burden said.
