New WI Voter Photo ID Rules – Update

Platteville, WI – City of Platteville Clerk Jan Martin urges voters in the City of Platteville to plan now to make sure they have the acceptable photo ID to vote.  Most voters already have one of the types of photo ID required to vote. 

Election Day
On Election Day, voters must provide one of the following photo IDs before they can cast a ballot.  The following IDs are still valid if expired if they expired since November 8, 2016:

• Wisconsin Driver License
• Wisconsin State ID Card
• Military ID Card
• U.S. Passport Book or Card

The following forms of photo ID are also acceptable:

• A Certificate of Naturalization, within 2 years of issuance
• Driver License Receipt issued by the WI DOT, within 45 days of issuance
• ID issued by a federally recognized Wisconsin Indian Tribe (Can still be used if expired)
• Veterans Affairs ID Card (must be unexpired or have no expiration)
• A photo ID issued by a Wisconsin accredited university or college, or technical college along with an enrollment verification document.  The card must show the voter’s name, signature, photo, the date the card was issued, and the date the card expires.  The issued date cannot be more than two years from the expiration date.  The card may still be used to vote even if it is expired.

An acceptable photo ID is not required to include a current address.       

If you do not have a valid WI Driver’s License or WI State ID you can receive a free WI State ID from your local DMV if you specifically request a free ID for voting purposes.  If you don’t have documentation, like a birth certificate, you can still get a free ID for voting after one visit to the DMV using their petition process.  Please contact your local DMV or our office for more information.

Absentee Voting
During in-person absentee voting, voters must present photo ID just like on Election Day.  In-person absentee voting will begin as soon as ballots are received (approximately 3 weeks prior to an election) and will end on the Friday before an election.

When voters request an absentee ballot by mail, they must include a photocopy of their photo ID with the request, or the ballot cannot be mailed.  You only need to provide your copy of photo ID once to vote by mail.  Voters who are “indefinitely confined” because of age, illness, infirmity or disability, and who select this option when requesting their ballot, do not need to provide a photo ID when voting by mail.   Active members of the U.S. Armed Services who are away from home are also exempt from the photo ID requirement when voting by mail.  Please contact my office for more information.

For specific questions on how the Voter ID law affects you, please contact my office in the Municipal Building at 75 N Bonson Street, Platteville, WI or (608) 348-1823. 

Voters are also encouraged to visit the Wisconsin Elections Commission’s Photo ID website  www.bringit.wisconsin.gov for information about the new law.