Voter ID Required
New WI Voter Photo ID Rules – Major Changes
OCONTO, WI – County Clerk Kim Pytleski, urges voters in Oconto County to plan now to make sure they have the acceptable photo ID to vote beginning with the November 4, 2014 Election. On September 12, 2014 the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the photo ID law that has been enjoined by the courts since March, 2012.
Most voters already have one of the types of photo ID required to vote.
Election Day
On Election Day, voters must provide one of the following photo IDs before they can cast a ballot:
-Wisconsin Driver’s License
-Wisconsin State ID Card
-Military ID Card
-U.S. Passport
* The above IDs are still valid if expired after the date of the most recent general election which was November 6, 2012.
The following forms of photo ID are also acceptable, but must be unexpired:
-A Certificate of Naturalization
-Driver’s License Receipt issued by the WI DOT
-ID issued by a federally recognized Wisconsin Indian Tribe
-A photo ID issued by a Wisconsin accredited university or college (please contact your
Local Clerk, the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board or your college or
university for specifications)
* An acceptable photo ID is not required to include a current address.
If you do not have a valid WI Driver’s License or WI State ID you can receive a free WI State ID from your local DMV if you specifically request a free ID for voting purposes. Please contact your local DVM or your Local Clerk for more information.
Absentee Voting
During in-person absentee voting, voters must present photo ID just like on Election Day.
In-person absentee voting can begin the third Monday before the election, and must end at 5 p.m. or the close of business, whichever is later, the Friday before the election. In-person absentee voting hours vary in Oconto County. Please contact your municipal clerk for specific hours.
When voters request an absentee ballot by mail, they must include a photocopy of their photo ID with the request, or the ballot cannot be mailed. Voters who are “indefinitely confined” because of age, illness, infirmity or disability and voters in care facilities may have their absentee witness verify their identity instead of providing a copy of their photo ID. Active members of the U.S. Armed Services who are away from home are also exempt from the photo ID requirement. Please contact the clerk’s office for more information.
For specific questions on how the new Voter ID law affects you please contact the County Clerk’s Office at 920-834-6806.
Voters are also encouraged to visit the Wisconsin Government Accountability’s Voter ID website www.bringit.wisconsin.gov for information about the new law.