Madison Reporter

The Madison City Clerk's Office has issued absentee ballots to 39,213 voters for the upcoming November 5 General Election. However, over 17,000 of these ballots have yet to be returned.

Voters intending to return their absentee ballots by mail are advised by the Clerk’s Office to do so immediately. Reports indicate that it may take up to two weeks for mailed ballots to reach the Clerk’s Office. Absentee ballots arriving after Election Day will not be counted, as postmarks are not considered valid proof of timely submission.

On Election Day, the Clerk's Office ensures that absentee ballots are delivered to designated polling places for counting. To be valid, absentee envelopes must be sealed and signed by both the voter and a witness. The witness's printed name and address should also be included.

Voters who still need to return their absentee ballot have several options:

- Mail it back today.

- Deliver it in person at any City of Madison in-person absentee voting site during voting hours starting this Tuesday.

- Use one of Madison’s 14 secure ballot drop boxes available until 5 p.m. on the day before the election.

If voters choose instead to vote at the polls, they should destroy their mailed absentee ballot.

State regulations mandate that voters return their own ballots unless assistance is required due to a disability under the Voting Rights Act. In such cases, help can be provided by someone other than an employer or union representative.

Returning an absentee ballot precludes voting at the polls on Election Day; doing so would constitute a felony even if there's doubt about timely delivery of the absentee ballot.

To monitor your absentee ballot status, visit myvote.wi.gov.

The City Clerk’s Office aims for every eligible voter to cast a vote and have it counted successfully.