(The Center Square) – Early voting for the spring primary begins on Tuesday across Wisconsin.
Election Day is Feb. 18.
The election includes a race for state superintendent and local positions such as city council and school boards.
Winners in the primary will then be part of the main election on April 1, along with a constitutional amendment on photo ID and the state supreme court race.
Municipal clerks can issue ballots that must be completed in-person at the clerk’s office or designated location after a voter shows a valid photo ID.
The early voting process, called in-person absentee voting, can continue through Feb. 16. Ballots cast ahead cannot be counted until Election Day.
Feb. 13 is the last day for most voters to request an absentee ballot by mail, online, email or fax but the Wisconsin Elections Commission said that waiting until the deadline likely does not leave enough time for the ballot to be returned via mail by the required 8 p.m. on Election Day.
“Your ballot must be returned to your clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted, and the U.S. Postal Service says it can take up to seven days for a letter to arrive,” said WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe. “If you’re planning to mail your ballot back, you should do so as soon as possible.”
Absentee ballots are counted at central count locations in 40 municipalities, including Milwaukee and Green Bay.
“We want citizens to choose the option for voting that works best for them, but time is running out for those who wish to vote before Election Day,” Wolfe said. “For voters who choose to vote absentee by mail, we want to be sure they have the information they need to navigate that process in a timely fashion. And, of course, every voter who is eligible to vote in the state can also vote via IPAV or in person on Election Day.”