Madison Reporter

In-person absentee voting for the August 13 Partisan Primary begins today.

“Avoid lines at the polls on election day and visit one of our local libraries to cast your ballot early,” said Mayor Rhodes-Conway. “In-person absentee voting has begun. You can also have a ballot mailed to your home.”

The following process is used at each absentee site:

1. The absentee clerk gives you an absentee envelope. Write your name, address, and date of birth on the envelope.

2. The absentee clerk checks your voter ID and stamps the City Clerk's initials on your absentee envelope to confirm your identity.

3. The absentee clerk verifies that you are registered to vote and processes your absentee request in the state system. They print a label and affix it to your absentee envelope, asking you to verify that your name and address on the label are correct.

4. The absentee clerk stamps "Absentee" on your ballot card, writes your ward number, and stamps the City Clerk’s initials on it. They activate your ballot card on the ExpressVote accessible voting device, which offers large print, high contrast, a Braille keypad, compatibility with Sip & Puff devices, and Spanish translation.

5. The absentee clerk steps back to give you privacy as you follow the ExpressVote prompts to select candidates.

6. Review and approve your selections on the touchscreen; you may insert your ballot card back into the ExpressVote to review or read printed selections.

7. Fold your ballot card in half and seal it in your absentee envelope.

8. Sign your envelope in the presence of the absentee clerk who signs as a witness, prints their name, and stamps the address of the Clerk's Office.

Your completed absentee will be delivered to the Clerk's Office when voting ends for the day. Both an absentee clerk and a courier will verify and document absentees for that day using a tamper-evident seal with a unique serial number.

Two election officials in the City Clerk's Office will verify this serial number upon receipt.

Your sealed ballot remains unopened until counted at your polling place on Election Day. Poll workers will verify that each absentee envelope is complete before checking voters into the poll book, assigning voter numbers, and inserting ballots into tabulators for counting.

Voter registration is available at any absentee voting location with proof of address but not during the Saturday through Monday before Election Day.

In-person absentee voting is available at various times and locations listed below:

- Alicia Ashman Library: 733 N High Point Rd

- Weekdays: 11 a.m.–5 p.m., July 30 - August 9

- Saturdays: 10 a.m.–4 p.m., August 3 & 10

- Central Library: 201 W Mifflin St

- Weekdays: 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m., July 30 - August 9

- Saturdays: 10 a.m.–4 p.m., August 3 & 10

- Goodman South Madison Library: 2222 S Park St

- Weekdays: 11 a.m.–7 p.m., July 30 - August 9

- Saturdays: 10 a.m.–4 p.m., August 3 & 10

- Hawthorne Library: 2707 E Washington Ave

- Weekdays:11a.m.-7p.m.July30-August9

-Saturdays:10a.m.-4p.m.August3&10

- Lakeview Library:2845N ShermanAve

-Saturdays only :10a .m.-4p .m.August3&10

And many more locations as detailed above.

The goal of the City Clerk’s Office is that each eligible voter will be able to cast a ballot and have that ballot counted.