MONROE — Due to a new state statute limiting early in person voting to the 14 days prior to an election, Green County voters will be limited to Oct. 20-30 for in-person absentee voting.
Voters could previously vote absentee in-person as early at 45 days before the election.
Typical Election Day in-person voting will still be an option, but alternative ways to vote are expected to be extra popular this election cycle due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As of Sept. 2, the city clerk’s office had 1370 absentee requests on file.
In November 2016, there were 1,517 absentee ballots returned. In November 2018, there were 825.
“There are options other than coming to the polls on Election Day,” Monroe City Clerk Brittney Rindy said.
Voters hoping to avoid the Election Day crowds are encouraged to vote in alternative ways, Rindy said.
Though the city is not offering “Park N Vote,” which was an option during the April election, voters will be able to vote in-person in City Hall during the Oct. 20-30 time frame. No request is required if voting absentee in-person, but a valid form of ID needs to be presented.
Mail-in ballots will be sent out by Sept. 17. Mail-in ballots requested after the Sept. 17 deadline should be sent out within 24 hours of the request being received.
Absentee ballots can also be returned in person through a City Hall drop box or hand-delivered.
To ensure timely delivery of the ballots, those mailed within the city do not leave the City of Monroe.
To receive an absentee ballot in the mail, a request can be made a myvote.wi.gov. If a voter has not voted absentee before, a copy of a valid photo ID must be presented.
Nov. 3 election deadlines
Voter registration deadlines
Oct. 14
● Deadline to register by mail. A voter registration form and proof of residence must be postmarked to the municipal clerk no later than Oct. 14. Municipal clerk information can be found at https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/MyMunicipalClerk.
● Deadline to register to vote online. Voters who are able to match their name, date of birth, Wisconsin Driver License or State ID number and address with the Wisconsin DMV can register to vote online through Oct. 14. Register online at https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/RegisterToVote.
Oct. 30
● Deadline to register in municipal clerk’s office. Voters may register in-person in their municipal clerk’s office during the clerk’s business hours until 5 p.m. on Oct. 30.
Nov. 3
● Deadline to register to vote at polling place. Voters can register to vote at their polling place on Election Day from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Polling locations can be found at https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/FindMyPollingPlace.
Absentee voting deadlines
Oct. 29
● The deadline to request an absentee ballot for regular and permanent overseas voters is at 5 p.m. Requests must be received by the municipal clerk by that time. Request an absentee ballot at https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/VoteAbsentee.
Oct. 20-30
● Deadline for Monroe in-person absentee voting. Voters can vote in-person during office hours at the municipal clerk’s office.
Oct. 30
● The deadline to request an absentee ballot for indefinitely confined voters is at 5 p.m. Requests must be received by the municipal clerk by that time.
Nov. 3
● The deadline to request a ballot for hospitalized voters is at 5 p.m. Voters who are in the hospital may request a ballot be brought to them by an appointed agent if they are hospitalized in the 7 days preceding the election. Hospitalized voters may request a ballot between Oct. 27 and Nov. 3 at 5 p.m. at https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/VoteAbsentee.
● The deadline to request an absentee ballot for military voters is at 5 p.m. Military voters can request absentee ballots at https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/MilitaryOverseasVoters.
● The deadline to return an absentee ballot is at 8 p.m. Absentee ballots must be received by the municipal clerk no later than 8 p.m.