August 9 is the partisan primary election here in Wisconsin. While many people have already voted, others will be headed to the polls to cast their vote for their preferred candidates for each race. This process can be especially confusing for first-time voters, figuring out how to register and who will be on the ballot.
Claire Woodall-Vogg is the executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission, and she joins Lake Effect to share her tips on how to have a smooth election-day experience.
Woodall-Vogg recommends going to MyVote.wi.gov to check:
- Your voter registration status.
- Search by address your polling location.
- View what is on your ballot.
- Find out contact information for your clerk if you have any questions specific to your city.
“Something that we get questions about a lot is that we still have election day registration in Wisconsin. This is what contributes to us having one of the highest turnout rates in general elections,” says Woodall-Vogg.
What to do if you're registering to vote on election day:
If you plan to register at your polling location, Woodall-Vogg says voters must bring a hard copy of their driver's license or a state ID. She emphasizes that if your ID does not have your current address, you must also bring a physical or virtual copy of a utility bill, a bank statement, paycheck, lease, or anything from the government with your name and address.
How long will voting take?
Woodall-Vogg also suggests carving out about thirty minutes to vote, just in case you have to fill out any documents at the site or have to wait in lines. However, with so many people utilizing absentee ballots, she predicts that lines will be relatively short.
“My biggest piece of advice for first-time voters is to make a plan and plan ahead, you want to visit the MyVote website, [and] you want to see if you’re already registered,” says Woodall-Vogg.
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