Absentee Voting in Wisconsin 2026: 2026
Who can vote absentee: Any registered Wisconsin voter may vote absentee — no excuse required ('any qualified elector who is unable or unwilling to appear at the polling place on Election Day').
Request deadline: 5:00 PM on Thursday, October 29, 2026 (the Thursday before Election Day) — request online at myvote.wi.gov, by mail, email, or fax to your municipal clerk, or in person. A copy of your photo ID must accompany the request (except exempt voters). Special deadlines apply: indefinitely confined / calendar-year voters have until 5:00 PM Friday, October 30, 2026; military voters have until 5:00 PM on Election Day for federal-contest elections.
Return deadline: Absentee ballots must be RECEIVED by the municipal clerk by 8:00 PM on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Postmarks do not count.
Mark your ballot in the presence of an adult witness (U.S. citizen, 18 or older; for military/overseas voters 18+ but U.S. citizenship not required). The witness may not be a candidate on the ballot. Both the voter AND the witness must sign the absentee certificate envelope, and the witness must provide their full address (street, city, state, ZIP). Seal the envelope in the witness's presence. Return by mail (WEC recommends at least 10 business days before Election Day / the two weeks before Election Day amid mail delays), hand-deliver to your municipal clerk's office, or to a ballot drop box where your municipality offers one. On Election Day, most voters may deliver their absentee ballot to their polling place before 8:00 PM; voters in central-count municipalities must return it to the clerk's office or central count location. Absentee ballots may NOT be returned by email or fax. If you have not returned your absentee ballot, you may still vote in person on Election Day. Since a July 2026 WEC guidance vote, a voter may not 'spoil' an already-returned ballot to get a new one because they changed their mind or their candidate dropped out.
Drop boxes: Ballot drop boxes remain LEGAL in Wisconsin under the Wisconsin Supreme Court's 2024 ruling (Priorities USA v. WEC, 2024 WI 32): each municipal clerk decides whether to offer drop boxes. The 2025-26 bills to ban them (AB560/SB554) FAILED to pass (March 19, 2026), so drop boxes are available for the Nov 3, 2026 election wherever a municipality chooses to provide them. Only residents of a municipality with a drop box may use it. The WEC maintains a spreadsheet of municipalities with drop boxes; check posted open/close times on the box.
Common questions
Who can vote absentee in Wisconsin?
Any registered Wisconsin voter may vote absentee — no excuse is required.
What is the absentee ballot request deadline in Wisconsin?
5:00 PM on Thursday, October 29, 2026 — request online at myvote.wi.gov, or by mail, email, or fax to your municipal clerk.
When is my absentee ballot due in Wisconsin?
Absentee ballots must be RECEIVED by your municipal clerk by 8:00 PM on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Postmarks do not count.
Do I need a witness to vote absentee in Wisconsin?
Yes — mark your ballot in the presence of an adult witness (a U.S. citizen, 18 or older), who must sign the ballot envelope.