Friday, Dec. 2, 2022
Are active-duty military personnel the only residents in Wisconsin who can register to vote without ID?
All military voters, permanent overseas voters and those who are indefinitely confined do not have to show photo identification to request an absentee ballot to vote in Wisconsin.
In addition, military voters are not required to register to vote. While permanent overseas and indefinitely confined voters must register, that process does not require ID or a proof of residence document.
Military voters can be service people on active or inactive duty, members of the Merchant Marine, civilian employees and Peace Corps volunteers and spouses and dependents residing with members from the aforementioned groups.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission is considering requiring military voters to present a standard ID issued by the Department of Defense. This comes in response to a Milwaukee election official who was charged with fraudulently obtaining ballots on behalf of fictitious military members.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Federal Voting Assistance Program Wisconsin
- DocumentCloud Wisconsin Military and Overseas Voters
- State of Wisconsin Indefinitely Confined Voters
- State of Wisconsin Voter registration application (EL-131, 131H, 131S)
- PBS Wisconsin Wisconsin election officials weigh changes to military voting
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