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Wisconsin will prove a key battleground state for the presidency in the general election on Nov. 5. But the August partisan primary, occurring on Aug. 13, will narrow down key city, county and state races and determine the fate of two referendum questions related to who administers state funds and federal funds given to the state.
This guide breaks down what voters need to know, whether they plan to vote early or on Election Day. We have included links to our election coverage and websites where voters can find out their polling place and see what’s on their ballot. With this resource citizens should have what they need to exercise their right to vote, and there should be no surprises at the ballot box.
Constitutional amendments
The two proposed amendments to the state Constitution on the August ballot aim to give the Legislature greater control over state finances and the administration of federal dollars. Everyone in Wisconsin will vote on the following ballot referendums:
Question 1 – “Delegation of appropriation power. Shall section 35 (1) of article IV of the constitution be created to provide that the legislature may not delegate its sole power to determine how moneys shall be appropriated?”
Question 2 – “Allocation of federal moneys. Shall section 35 (2) of article IV of the constitution be created to prohibit the governor from allocating any federal moneys the governor accepts on behalf of the state without the approval of the legislature by joint resolution or as provided by legislative rule?”
If voters pass the first referendum question, the Legislature could not delegate its ability to approve the spending of funds — what’s known as an appropriation.
If voters pass the second question, the Legislature would need to approve the governor’s allocations of federal funding. Those legislative approvals would come through joint resolutions or legislative rules — measures that do not require gubernatorial approval, meaning that they would also dodge any potential vetoes.
The amendments were approved in 2022 and 2023 along party lines — Republicans voting for, and Democrats voting against — in the state Senate and Assembly.
Here’s the background: Wisconsin’s governor, under state law, can accept and allocate federal funding without legislative approval or participation. As an influx of federal funding came in starting in 2020 for states grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers came under criticism from some state Republicans for how he allocated the funds. Some critics said they wanted to see greater transparency in the funding allocation process.
The nonpartisan research group Wisconsin Policy Forum estimated in April 2021 that Wisconsin received $19.9 billion in federal funds through three pandemic-era federal funding packages — the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act and Consolidated Appropriations Act in 2020 and the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021. Wisconsin has received $6.9 billion in infrastructure funding since President Joe Biden took office, according to the Biden administration.
Supporters of the two amendments, introduced by Republican lawmakers, say the amendments would provide necessary legislative oversight over how Wisconsin spends federal dollars.
Opponents say the amendments would bog down the governor’s ability to act quickly if federal funds were issued to combat an emergency, like a pandemic or natural disaster.
A number of advocacy organizations oppose the amendments. Jennifer Giegerich, government affairs director of the Wisconsin Conservation Voters, said in a Jan. 31 written statement that the budget writing process, “with known deadlines and a long deliberative process, is not effective when dealing with emergencies.”
Congressional races
Three candidates — Eric Hovde, Charles Barman and Rejani Raveendran — will appear on the Republican senatorial ticket. Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin is the incumbent and is unopposed in the primary.
Rep. Mark Pocan, a Democrat, is running unopposed in the primary election.
County executive race
Four candidates are vying to be Dane County executive in November’s special election — the top two candidates in this primary will proceed to the November general election.
All candidates — Madison Ald. Regina Vidaver, Dane County Director of the Office for Equity and Inclusion Wes Sparkman, state Sen. Melissa Agard and Sexual Violence Resource Center Director Dana Pellebon — say they hold progressive values, though some do not use the label to describe themselves.
Read: “Auntie Luke explains what the Dane County executive does”
A county executive serves as the head of county government. In Wisconsin, counties act as “arms of the state,” according to the nonpartisan research group Wisconsin Policy Forum, and provide crucial services in such domains as transportation, health, safety and more.
Whoever is elected county executive in November will serve until April 2025, when another election will be held to determine who will hold the position for the full four-year term.
County executives are elected on a nonpartisan basis. They have authority over all county agencies and draft the annual county budget — in addition, they can veto county board decisions.
State races
The primary for state-level races in the Assembly and Senate will see candidates face off in a number of newly drawn districts after the state Supreme Court ruled in December 2023 that Wisconsin’s previous maps — widely considered among the most gerrymandered in the country — were unconstitutional. The state’s legislative maps were drawn by Gov. Tony Evers’ administration and approved by the Legislature in February.
Incumbent Democratic Rep. Shelia Stubbs will face off against Maia Pearson, vice president of Madison’s school board, in a contested primary for the 78th Assembly District seat, which comprises all of Monona, Blooming Grove and some of McFarland and east and south Madison. There is no Republican running for the seat, meaning whoever wins the 78th Assembly District race would be almost guaranteed to hold the seat starting in January 2025.
Democratic incumbent Rep. Mike Bare will face Madison Ald. Nasra Wehelie for the 80th Assembly District seat, representing western Madison, Verona, Cross Plains and the town of Middleton. There is no Republican running for the seat.
In west Madison and Shorewood Hills, three Democrats are running for the 77th Assembly District seat: Chuck Erickson, Thad Schumacher and Renuka Mayadev. There is no Republican running for the seat.
In Sun Prairie, five Democrats — Bill Connors, Andrew Hysell, Goodwill Obieze, Avery Renk and Rick Rose — are running for the 48th Assembly District seat. One Republican, Lisa Rubrich, is also running for the 48th Assembly District seat.
Joe Maldonado and Randy Udell, both Democrats, are running for the 47th Assembly District seat, which spans through Fitchburg and Stoughton. There is no Republican running for the seat.
And three current Democratic Assembly members — Reps. Jimmy Anderson, Samba Baldeh and Melissa Ratcliff — will compete for the 16th Senate District seat, comprising most of Fitchburg, Sun Prairie and Fort Atkinson. There is no Republican running for the seat.
Local races
The four local county government positions on the ballot are uncontested at this time: Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, Dane County Treasurer Adam Gallagher, Dane County Register of Deeds Kristi Chlebowski and Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell are running for re-election uncontested.
Voting on Election Day
I’m already registered
If you’re already registered to vote, you can show up to vote in-person on Election Day, Aug. 13. MyVote WI has a tool to check whether you’re registered and at what address. You can also check where your polling place is and what’s on your ballot. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. You will need to bring a photo ID, which does not need to show your current address.
You can also prepare and bring notes about who you want to vote for into the booth. You can take and share photos of yourself voting, but cannot show your marked ballot to others. And if you have a disability, you can vote “curbside,” in your vehicle or at the entrance to the polling place, with the assistance of poll workers.
I need to register
If you’re not registered to vote, you can register at your polling place on Election Day. In order to register, you will need proof of residence. The Madison City Clerk’s Office maintains a list of what counts as valid proof of residence, such as pay stubs or a bank statement, which can be shown in either paper or electronic form. UW and Madison College students can verify their residence through their student center portals (UW | Madison College). MG&E customers can login to their account and show their electronic utility bill.
Online and mail voter registration end on July 24, but voters who still need to register after can do so in person at any in-person absentee voting locations (list), or the City Clerk’s Office until Aug. 9, or register at the polls on Election Day. State law prevents residents from registering to vote on the Saturday, Sunday or Monday before the election.
Voting Before Election Day
I’m already registered
Vote by mail: If you are registered to vote, you can request an absentee ballot and return the completed ballot by mail, at an absentee ballot drop box, or in-person to the City Clerk’s Office at 210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Your request for an absentee ballot must be received by the City Clerk’s Office by 5 p.m. on Aug. 8, and your completed ballot must be received by the City Clerk’s Office by 8 p.m. on Election Day for it to count, meaning that the earlier you can send it off, the better. You can also bring your completed ballot to your polling place on Election Day.
Vote early in-person: Early in-person voting, also called in-person absentee voting, starts on July 30. To vote early in person, you will need to bring a photo ID. The City Clerk’s Office maintains a list of in-person absentee voting locations and the hours they are open. In-person absentee voting is available from July 30 to up to Aug. 11 — office hours depend on your municipal clerk. You can check MyVote for more information.
I need to register
Register in-person: You can register to vote at your municipal clerk’s office until Aug. 11. In order to register, you will need to bring proof of residence. The Madison City Clerk’s Office maintains a list of what counts as valid proof of residence, such as a pay stub or a bank statement, which can be shown in either paper or electronic form. UW and Madison College students can verify their residence through their student center portals (UW | Madison College). MG&E customers can login to their account and show their electronic utility bill.
Register online or by mail: Online and mail registration closed on July 24, per a state law that only allows in-person registration for 20 days before an election.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
What is a partisan primary? How is it different from the election in November?
In a partisan primary, voters choose which candidates from a political party will advance to the November election. Wisconsin has an “open primary” system, meaning that voters are able to vote in the Republican or Democratic primary without registering beforehand, but can only vote in one party’s primary.
There are also referendum questions and nonpartisan candidates on the ballot, like the county executive candidates. For nonpartisan races, the top two candidates in the primary will advance to the Nov. 5 general election.
I don’t have a photo ID. How do I get one?
The city maintains a list of the documentation you will need to apply for a voter ID, including proof of citizenship, residence, identity, and name and date of birth.
The Dane County Voter ID Coalition — a collaboration between the League of Women Voters Dane County and the Dane County NAACP — is helping voters get IDs ahead of the election, providing transportation and help with the application at two Madison DMV locations. If you have more questions, you can call or text the Voter Helpline at 608-285-2141.
Where do I vote? What is going to be on my ballot?
Find where to vote here. See what will be on your ballot here.
Can I return my ballot via drop box?
The Wisconsin Supreme Court restored the ability to return your ballot to an absentee ballot drop box on July 5.
If I have a disability, can I receive my ballot electronically?
Not for the August election.
Due to a June 25 injunction issued by a Dane County judge, voters who self-certify that they have a disability are legally permitted to receive and fill out their ballot electronically, though the ballot still needs to be printed and returned in-person or via mail. Voters are allowed to receive assistance in returning the ballot.
The injunction, however, applies first during the November general election. It is currently on appeal from a number of Republican legislators in Waukesha, making its future legal status shaky.
How can I find out about the candidates?
Isthmus interviewed all the county executive candidates — you can find our article here.
The Capital Times conducted a series of livestreamed candidate forums for nearby state-level races, which you can view here.
WORT-FM 89.9 interviewed all of the county executive candidates — you can listen to the interviews here.
All four candidates will participate in a human services-focused forum sponsored by the Dane County Purchase of Services Committee and the Children, Youth and Family Consortium of Dane County at the Madison College Goodman South Campus from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 23.
The League of Women Voters of Dane County is holding a county executive forum with all four candidates from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Sequoya Library on July 29. More information is available here.
Who is funding the candidates?
You can see county candidates’ campaign finance reports here.
You can view finance reports for state campaigns using the Wisconsin Campaign Finance Information System here.
Other voting guides
The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin’s voting guide can be found here. A Spanish version of the League of Women Voters’ guide is available here.
Voters can also get help in Spanish or English on general voting questions by calling the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin’s Voter Helpline: 608-285-2141.
