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Voting News from the Disability Vote Coalition
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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Share Our Voting News!
Do you have a newsletter? We hope you will use information from our newsletter in yours – pass it on! If you would like us to prepare a customized newsletter story for you, email us at info@disabilityvote.org
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Update on Supreme Court of Wisconsin Decision
On July 8th, the Supreme Court of Wisconsin issued a ruling that will impact the voting rights of many Wisconsinites with disabilities. Disability Rights Wisconsin is one of the parties in this case, and provided this guidance:
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Absentee voting protections for people with disabilities after the Supreme Court of Wisconsin Teigen decision
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Federal law protects the right of people with disabilities to have assistance mailing their ballot, and also to have a person of their choice deliver their ballot to their clerk or polling place. Teigen did not limit or alter federal laws that protect the rights of voters with disabilities, such as the Voting Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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Note: If you request a disability related accommodation and are denied, we want to hear from you. Contact the DRW Voter Hotline or email us.
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August 9th Election FAQs
Tuesday August 9th is the partisan primary Election in Wisconsin. The election is already underway as voters are completing and returning their absentee ballots. Here are some of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) that the Disability Vote Coalition is hearing:
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What is a Partisan Primary?
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- Voters in the primary will determine which candidates will be on the ballot in the November election. A partisan primary means you can only vote in one party. You must choose a political party and you can only vote for candidates in that party. You do not need to be a member of that party. What’s on your ballot depends on where you live and the party you select.
What are the deadlines for voter registration?
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- Deadline to register online or by mail: July 20
- Deadline to register in person at your clerk’s office: August 5
- Register at your polling place: August 9
- Absentee ballots: request and return as soon as possible
- Federal offices: U.S. Senate and Representative to Congress.
- State offices: Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Treasurer, Secretary of State, State Senator (odd-numbered districts), State Representative.
- Some counties: Offices of Sheriff, Clerk of Circuit Court and Coroner
- View your ballot at MyVote Wisconsin
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How can I learn about the candidates?
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- Non-partisan Candidate Information including a personalized ballot and candidate information
- See what’s on your ballot.
- Find your polling place
- Discover upcoming debates and forums in your area
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I am voting absentee – who can be my witness?
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Wisconsin law requires that your ballot be witnessed. The witness must be at least 18 years old, and is a US citizen. Anyone who meets those requirements can be your witness.
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- The witness must verify that you completed the absentee ballot but should not see your choices.
- If you need assistance completing your ballot, the witness may also be your assistor. The assistor must sign the “Certificate of Voter Assistance” on your ballot.
- Put your absentee ballot in the return envelope and seal it.
- Your witness must sign the return envelope and write their address on the line marked “Signature of Witness”.
- Sign and date the return envelope on the line “Signature of Voter”.
- Return the completed witness ballot as soon as possible. Your absentee ballot must be received by 8 PM on Election Day.
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How can I educate the candidates?
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Find out where the candidates stand on disability issues. Use our candidate questions to educate the candidates. Share these questions with candidates at a candidate forum, in an email, a post to social media, or in a letter to the editor:
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How Can Our Agency Support Our Members with Voting?
Do you work for an agency that supports people with disabilities? Voting is an important client rights issue. Here’s how you can help:
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VOTING QUESTIONS?
Help is available! Contact these resources:
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