MADISON – As Wisconsin prepares for the August 11, 2026, Partisan Primary, the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) released a checklist outlining what voters need to know before heading to the polls.

Check the WEC’s MyVote website at Myvote.wi.gov to verify voter registration status, find your polling place, and see what’s on your ballot.

The WEC’s MyVote Wisconsin website allows you to verify your polling place and provides the address of every state polling place, as well as information about what will be on each voter’s ballot.

 In-person absentee voting (early voting) is underway.

You can vote prior to Election Day by checking with your municipal clerk for in-person absentee hours. To contact your municipal clerk, visit: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/My-Municipal-Clerk

As of this morning, 171,689 individuals voted ahead of the August 11 election.  

 Voters who have not already mailed their absentee ballot should arrange a plan to drop it off before Election Day.

The WEC strongly recommends that voters who still need to return their absentee ballot not attempt to mail their absentee ballot. Instead, voters should contact their municipal clerk to learn where they can drop off their absentee ballot. Depending on your municipality, options include dropping them off at their municipal clerk’s office or, if available, in a secure drop box. The use of drop boxes is not mandatory and is at the discretion of the municipal clerk to use them.

Voters should return their absentee ballot as early as possible because ballots must be picked up and delivered to the polling place or central count facility by 8 p.m. on Election Day to count. Last month, the Commission unanimously approved the “Absentee Ballot Return Best Practices” for voters to help them understand when, where, and how to return an absentee ballot.

 Once you return your absentee ballot, there are no “do-overs.”

If you already returned your absentee ballot to your municipal clerk and your chosen candidate drops out of the race, there are no “do-overs” in this scenario to spoil your ballot. To learn more about the WEC’s July 9, 2026, ballot spoiling guidance, visit: https://elections.wi.gov/memo/updated-ballot-spoiling-guidance.

Last month, a court concluded the ballot spoiling statute does not allow a voter to spoil an absentee ballot after it has been returned. An absentee voter who has not yet returned their ballot and accidentally or mistakenly fills in the ballot for the wrong candidate may take the ballot back to the clerk, who can issue the voter a replacement ballot. But this does not apply to absentee voters who change their minds about who they wish to vote for once their absentee ballot is returned.

 On Election Day, polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Polling place hours are the same across Wisconsin, no matter where you live. Voters must be in line by 8 p.m. to vote.

 Wisconsin residents who are not registered to vote can do so at the polls on Election Day.

You can complete a paper voter registration form at your polling place on Election Day. In order to register, a proof-of-residence document with a current address is required. Learn more at https://elections.wi.gov/Register

If you’re unsure of your voter registration status, visit the MyVote website. Online voter registration for the November 3 General Election, which doesn’t require the voter to print or sign a paper form, resumes after the August 11 Partisan Primary. 

 You need an acceptable photo ID to vote and your ID for voting does not need to show your current address.

Your acceptable photo ID for voting does not need to show your current address. Most voters already have the photo ID they need to vote, such as a Wisconsin driver license or ID. If you have ID questions, please visit the Bring It to the Ballot website or call 1-866-VOTE-WIS for information. A voter who does not have an acceptable photo ID must be offered a provisional ballot and the opportunity to submit a photo ID within three days after the election.

 You may only vote for candidates of one party in the primary.

Wisconsin law allows voters to choose which political party’s primary they wish to vote in without having to register to vote with a party affiliation or designation. However,a voter may only vote within one party’s primary on the August 11 ballot. 

Put simply, voters must pick a party preference when filling out a ballot for the Partisan Primary and stick with that party down the ballot when choosing their candidates of choice. If you select a party preference but vote in multiple primaries, only your chosen party’s votes will count. This is called crossover voting. Votes cast for any other party will not be counted.  

For more information about crossover voting, visit:  https://elections.wi.gov/faq/what-partisan-primary-and-how-do-i-avoid-crossover-voting

 Don’t bet on your ballot.

The WEC is reminding voters if you bet on an election – it could cost you your vote. Wisconsin law states a voter cannot, even indirectly, make a bet or wager on the outcome of an election and then vote in that same election, see Wis. Statute § 6.03(2). More information here: https://elections.wi.gov/news/dont-bet-your-ballot-wec-warns-voters-against-election-gambling.

 Your vote is secure.

Wisconsin’s election systems are secure thanks to the WEC’s strong partnerships with federal and state agencies and local election officials. Before Election Day, election officials across Wisconsin will have tested their voting equipment in a session completely open to the public. Learn more here: https://elections.wi.gov/voting-equipment-security.

 During election season, Wisconsinites may receive many unwanted texts and mailers from third parties providing information about the voting process. Voters should keep in mind that election officials are the most reliable source of information about elections.

Third party groups collect voters’ personal data, including phone numbers and addresses, through a variety of means. Groups can then send communications to voters using the personal information they obtained. The WEC is not affiliated with these groups and has no control over their communications. 

What voters can do is rely on trusted sources for information about the voting process. These trusted sources include the Wisconsin Elections Commission, your municipal clerk, or your county clerk.

 There are no statewide referenda on Tuesday’s ballot, but local referenda may apply to some voters.

There are no statewide referenda on the August 11 ballot. However, some voters in select municipalities will see a referendum on their ballot. Voters can check Myvote.wi.gov to see what’s on their ballot. For a complete list of local referendums across the state, visit the “elections” page on the WEC website.