What voters need to know about the April 3 Spring Election

WISCONSIN (CBS 58) -- Wisconsin voters are reminded to bring an acceptable photo ID when they head to the polls for the Spring Election on April 3.

Acceptable photo IDs for voting include a Wisconsin driver license or Wisconsin state ID card, Veterans Health Administration ID card, military ID card, U.S. passport, tribal ID card and some student ID cards. A full list is available at www.BringIt.Wisconsin.gov.

What’s on the ballot?

Voters can find out what’s on their ballots by visiting the My Vote Wisconsin website: https://MyVote.WI.gov.

All voters will have the opportunity to elect a Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice and vote on a constitutional referendum on whether to eliminate the office of State Treasurer on Tuesday. Voters in Wisconsin Court of Appeals Districts 1 and 4 will have uncontested races for judge. There are also elections for 53 circuit court judges across the state, 11 of which are contested races. Finally, many voters will find elections for local school boards, county and municipal offices, as well as referendums, across Wisconsin.

Where do I go to vote?

To find out where to go to cast your ballot, visit the "Find My Polling Place" page on the Wisconsin Election Commission's "My Vote Wisconsin" website and type in your address.

New this Spring: Supplemental Poll Books

In addition to regular poll books containing the names of all registered voters, polling places will also have supplemental poll books for the Spring Election. More information about supplemental poll books is available on the Wisconsin Election Commission’s website: http://elections.wi.gov/node/5746.

Register or re-register at the polls

Voters are reminded that if they plan to register for the first time or update their registration with a change of name or address at the polls on Election Day, they must bring a proof of residence document like a utility bill, showing the voter’s current name and address. Acceptable proof of residence documents also include a lease, bank statement, cell phone bill or other official government documents, and can be on paper or an electronic device like a smartphone or tablet. A list of acceptable documents is available at http://elections.wi.gov/publications/voter-guides/proof-of-residence. Before Election Day, you must have lived at your current address for at least 10 days to be eligible to vote, but the proof of residence document does not need to be 10 days old.

Voters who may not be sure whether their registration is current can check their status with their municipal clerk, or on the state’s MyVote Wisconsin website https://myvote.wi.gov. My Vote Wisconsin is also a great resource to find your municipal clerk’s contact information, and your polling place.

Other important reminders:

• Don’t leave the polling place without voting. A voter may cast a provisional ballot if the voter does not have a photo ID, forgets to bring a photo ID to the polls, or if the poll workers do not accept the ID for some reason. A provisional ballot is just like a regular ballot, except that it is placed in a special envelope and is not counted unless the voter returns with an acceptable photo ID. The deadlines for fixing a provisional ballot are 8 p.m. on Election Day at the polling place or by 4 p.m. the Friday after the election in the municipal clerk’s office. Voters who left their photo ID at home can also simply retrieve it and then cast a ballot rather than casting a provisional ballot. 
• Leave political items at home. Voters should not wear political clothing or paraphernalia to the polling place on Election Day. The chief election inspector may ask voters to leave the polling place if they are judged to be electioneering or creating a disturbance.