Hospitalized Voters

I am in the hospital and want to vote absentee:

Hospitalized voters should follow these steps to request their absentee ballot. These voters need to appoint an agent to retrieve and deliver their absentee ballot if they are hospitalized in the 7 days before Election Day or on Election Day.

1. The voter can print and complete an absentee request form here. In box 7 of the form, the voter will certify that they are hospitalized.

2. The voter then appoints an agent to request/deliver the ballot on the voter’s behalf. The voter may appoint anyone as their agent. The agent will need to provide their information on the absentee ballot application. The agent’s information should appear in box 7 of the form.

3. If the voter is not registered, the elector must complete a voter registration application. The voter registration application can be found here. The agent may deliver the registration along with the absentee ballot request. The voter will also need to provide a proof of residence document with their registration. A proof of residence document proves where the voter lives in Wisconsin.

4. The agent for the hospitalized voter delivers a completed absentee ballot application (and possibly the voter registration form) to the Election Commission office for the hospitalized or quarantined voter.  The agent can deliver the form beginning 7 days before Election Day.

5. The agent must also show a copy of the voter’s photo ID, or the voter’s original photo ID, to the Election Commission when making the absentee ballot request. More information on what photo ID’s can be used for voting can be found at www.bringit.wi.gov. An agent must provide his or her proof of identification before the municipal clerk may issue an absentee ballot to the agent.

6. The Election Commission issues an absentee ballot, absentee certificate envelope and uniform instructions in an absentee carrier envelope to the agent for the hospitalized or quarantined voter.

7. The agent transports the absentee ballot to the hospitalized or quarantined voter. The voter votes the ballot in the presence of a witness. The voter places the voted ballot in the absentee certificate envelope, seals and signs the envelope. The witness also needs to sign the absentee certificate envelope. The agent may serve as their witness.

8. The agent must deliver, mail or use a drop box to return the absentee ballot to the Election Commission. Whether the agent personally delivers the ballot to City Hall or mails the ballot, it must be received by the Election Commission by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day so that the ballot may be delivered to Central Count to be counted.