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Voting News from the Disability Vote Coalition
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The Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition is a non-partisan effort to help ensure full participation in the electoral process of voters with disabilities.
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Please share the information in this newsletter!
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Make Your Plan to Vote!
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August 13th Fall Partisan Primary Election
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November 5th Fall General Election
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The August and November elections are coming quickly. Be ready to vote by checking out our Make Your Plan to Vote fact sheet. This fact sheet informs you about registration, absentee voting, where to find non-partisan candidate information, photo ID requirements, and more.
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August 13 Fall Partisan Primary
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Voters in a Partisan Primary choose which candidates will be on the ballot at the General Election in November. Wisconsin has open primary elections, which means:
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- You do not register by political party.
- You choose ONE party to vote and can only vote in one.
In the 2024 Partisan Primary, voters are nominating candidates for these partisan offices:
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- U.S. Senate and Representative to Congress
- State Senate (even-numbered districts) and State Assembly Representatives
- Other local offices depending on where you live
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Important Dates for August 13th Fall Partisan Primary
- July 24 - last day to register online or by mail (if mailing envelope must postmarked July 24). After this you must register in person at your clerk’s office or at an early voting site.
- August 9 - Last day to register at your Municipal Clerk's office.
- August 1 (suggested deadline) to request an absentee ballot. August 8 (statutory deadline) We encourage you not to wait until August 8 because it will be very difficult to receive and return your ballot by mail in time for the election. Absentee Ballots must be returned by election day. Be sure to check with your clerk to find out where to drop it off on election day.
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Constitutional Amendments
There will be two constitutional amendments on the ballot for every Wisconsin voter this August. A constitutional amendment is a change to the constitution. It is an addition or alteration to the constitution. You will have the option to vote “yes” or “no” for these amendments. This is a big deal and should be thought about carefully.
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In Wisconsin, a constitutional amendment must pass the Legislature in two consecutive sessions and be approved by voters in a statewide election before it is officially added to the state Constitution. If the two constitutional amendments are approved in August, they would then be added to the Constitution.
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The language in these amendments can be difficult to understand. The questions and the meaning are below.
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Question 1: “Delegation of appropriation power. Shall section 35 (1) of article IV of the constitution be created to provide that the legislature may not delegate its sole power to determine how moneys shall be appropriated?”
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What does a “Yes” or a “No” vote mean?
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➕A “yes” means that you want to change the state constitution to prohibit the legislature from delegating its power to appropriate money.
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➖A “no” opposes amending the state constitution and keeps it the way that it is. This means that the legislature can delegate power to appropriate money.
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If this Constitutional Amendment passes the WI State Constitution would require the full legislature to approve allocation of funds. Under this amendment the legislature would no longer be able to delegate that task to anyone, including the Governor. The legislature would have to approve any funding allocations-even in emergencies.
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Question 2: “Allocation of federal moneys. Shall section 35 (2) of article IV of the constitution be created to prohibit the governor from allocating any federal moneys the governor accepts on behalf of the state without the approval of the legislature by joint resolution or as provided by legislative rule?”
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What does a “Yes” or a “No” vote mean?
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➕A "yes" means that you want to change the state constitution to require legislative approval from both the senate and assembly before the governor can expend federal money appropriated to the state.
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➖A "no" opposes amending the state constitution and keeps it the way that it is. This means that the governor can accept and allocate federal funds without seeking an approval vote from the state legislature.
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If this Constitutional Amendment passes the WI State Constitution requires the governor to get explicit legislative approval when spending ANY federal funds.
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You can find more information here:
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Ballot Drop Boxes
On July 5, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin ruled that absentee ballot boxes can be used for the August and November elections. This means that your Municipal Clerk can choose to have a drop box in your municipality. Some municipalities may choose not to have drop boxes. If you are unsure about your municipality, you can contact your Municipal Clerk to find out if there will be a drop box. https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/My-Municipal-Clerk. Voters in municipalities with drop boxes may be able to see the information under “Find My Local Absentee Options” button on My Vote (https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/VoteAbsentee).
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Special Elections
The Governor has called special elections in both State Senate District 4 and Congressional District 8. Special elections often fly under the radar for most voters, so it’s important to plan ahead.
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Voters in State Senate District 4 mark your calendars and make your plan to vote in this important special election. The winner of this special election will complete the remaining term of State Senator Lena Taylor.
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- Special Election - July 30 (Early voting begins July 16)
Voters in Congressional District 8 will have a Special Election to fill the unfinished term of 8th District Congressman Mike Gallagher. Of note, this Special Election will occur at the same time as the August Primary (8/13) and the November Election (11/5).
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This means that the office of Representative to Congressional District 8 will appear TWICE on voter’s ballots - once for the Special Election and again for the General Election. Voters should be prepared to vote in both contests.
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VOTING QUESTIONS?
Help is available! Contact these resources:
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