Politics & Government

Be Prepared for New Voter ID Rules

The Village is prepping for the new rules starting in February 2012.

The new voter ID law will take full effect in February, 2012, and the Village of Sussex wants residents to be prepared to vote.

Susan Freiheit, the Village Clerk, urges voters in Sussex to plan now to make sure they have the right photo ID for the upcoming election. In addition to requiring voters to show an acceptable photo ID to receive a ballot, the law contains other important changes to the voting process.

Here are the new rules for voting at the polls on Election Day and by an absentee ballot:

Find out what's happening in Sussexwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Election Day:

On Election Day, voters must show one of eight different kinds of photo ID to receive a ballot. These photo IDs are valid even if they’ve expired after the most recent general election on November 2, 2010.

  • Wisconsin driver license
  • Wisconsin state ID card
  • Military ID card
  • U.S. Passport
  • A Certificate of Naturalization
  • Driver license or state ID card receipt issued by the DMV
  • ID issued by a Federally recognized Wisconsin Indian tribe
  • Photo ID issued by a Wisconsin accredited university or college that meets certain requirements, and is accompanied by proof of enrollment.

It is important for voters to know that their photo ID is not required to include a current address. The purpose of requiring a photo ID is to prove a person's identity, not where he/she live. Also, the name on the identification does not have to match a resident's name on the poll list exactly, so Jim is perfectly acceptable for James, Sue for Susan, etc.

Find out what's happening in Sussexwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Also, if someone does not have a valid Wisconsin driver license or state ID card, he/she can receive a free state ID card from the local DMV for voting purposes.  

Residents can still register to vote on Election Day, but voter registration requirements have changed. A person must now be a resident of the jurisdiction in which they wish to vote for 28 consecutive days instead of the previous 10-day residency requirement.

Absentee Voting:

During in-person absentee voting at the clerk’s office, voters must present a photo ID, just like on Election Day. The period for in-person absentee voting has been shortened. It now begins the third Monday before the election, and ends the Friday before the election.

Photo ID will also be required for mail-in absentee voting, and most absentee voters must provide a photocopy of their photo ID card with their absentee ballot request. Voters who fax or email the clerk to request an absentee ballot may return a photocopy of their photo ID with their completed ballot.

There is an important exception for voters in nursing homes and care facilities, as well as those at home who are “indefinitely confined” due to age, physical illness or infirmity, or who are disabled for an indefinite period. Instead of providing a copy of their photo ID, they may have their absentee witness verify their identity.  


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Sussex