Early voting in Wisconsin starts Tuesday, just two weeks before election day. Starting Tuesday, you will be able to visit your municipal clerk's office and vote for the upcoming presidential election.
All you need to vote early is a valid ID. Click here for more information on acceptable forms of ID.
You can also continue to return your absentee ballots. All ballots received prior to 8 p.m. on election night will be accepted. For more information on early voting and absentee voting in Wisconsin, click here.
If you live in Milwaukee, you can find a list of early voting locations here. Additionally, to check the status of your absentee ballot, click here.
We'll post on this page throughout the day with live updates from early voting locations across southeast Wisconsin.
Latest updates:
3:51 p.m. -- Early voting underway at Zablocki Library on Milwaukee’s south side.
Lines wrap around the building at the Zablocki Library on Milwaukee’s south side. Election officials say the wait is averaging around an hour and 45 minutes in the afternoon. There were times on Tuesday, they say the wait was under 45 minutes. Zablocki is a location in Milwaukee that has some of the longest early voting hours.
TMJ4's Rebecca Klopf is there to explain how the lines are moving.
12:44 p.m. -- Voters wait in long lines as early in-person voting begins
Early in-person voting began Tuesday morning and almost immediately some of Milwaukee's voting sites were wrapped by voters waiting in line, eager to cast ballots in the battleground state with just two weeks until Election Day.
"This is the longest I've ever waited," said Janet Mays, a voter who said she always tries to vote on the first day of early in-person voting.
Mays said she typically only waits 15 to 20 minutes to get inside downtown Milwaukee's Zeidler building and cast her ballot. On Tuesday, Oct. 20th, she said she was waiting roughly an hour and a half.
"I have the mask, I have the thick coat, I have heavy shoes, I have my boots on, I've got my water, I've got my snacks, I've got my seat" said Mays.
A lot to carry, but she said the wait is worth it.
"Do not take it for granted, do not wait, do not assume somebody else is going to do it, don't get complacent, everybody - take several people if you can, and get out to vote as early as possible, in-person if possible, and don't take the vote for granted, ever,"said Mays.
11:36 a.m. -- Commission reminds voters to bring mask to the polls
An important reminder from the City of Milwaukee Election Commission - wear a mask to the polls to protect yourself and others.
11:10 a.m. -- Milwaukee alderman reminds residents of early voting options
In a statement released Tuesday, Alderman Khalif J. Rainey said he wants residents to know they have many options to cast their vote.
“Voting is a fundamental part of our democracy, and I’m asking all Milwaukee residents to exercise their right to vote by mail, early in-person, or at their polling place on Election Day," Rainey said. "Regardless of your preferred method make sure your voice is heard,” Alderman Rainey said.
Rainey shared the following information on Milwaukee's early voting sites:
The following in-person early voting sites are open Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. & Saturday - Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.:
- Frank P. Zeidler Municipal Building, 841 N. Broadway, Room 102
- Midtown Center, N. 58th Street & W. Capitol Drive
- Zablocki Library, 3501 W. Oklahoma Ave.
The following in-person early voting sites are open Monday - Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday & Friday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday - Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.:
- Bay View Library, 2566 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
- Cannon Park Pavilion, 303 N. 95th St.
- Clinton Rose Senior Center, 3045 N. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr.
- East Library, 2320 N. Cramer St.
- Good Hope Library, 7717 W. Good Hope Rd.
- Mitchell Street Library, 906 W. Historic Mitchell St.
- Tippecanoe Library, 3912 S. Howell Ave.
- Villard Square Library, 5190 N. 35th St.
- Washington Park Library, 2121 N. Sherman Blvd.
Additionally, two other sites are open for in-person early voting on more limited hours. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Student Union at 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd. will be open Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and starting Wednesday, October 21st Milwaukee Area Technical College located at 1101 N. 6th St. will be open Monday – Saturday from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Finally, Independence First located at 540 S. 1st St. and Manitoba School at 4040 W. Forest Home Ave. are available for in-person early voting by appointment only. Please note requests are honored based on the voter's inability to vote at any of the other sites during the scheduled voting hours. Please email kdzapat@milwaukee.gov to request an appointment.
10:12 a.m. -- Photo ID does not need to display current address
At a news conference in Milwaukee Tuesday morning, Elections Commission Executive Director Claire Woodall-Vogg clarified a frequently asked question regarding photo IDs required to vote.
Contrary to what you may have heard, Woodall-Vogg said voters do not need to have their current street address on their photo ID in order to be allowed to vote. It just needs to be a legally valid ID.
For more information on what qualifies as a voter ID in Wisconsin, click here.
9:39 a.m. -- Long lines of drive-thru early voting in Village of Richfield
The Village of Richfield in Washington County has a population of just under 12,000. Before 10 a.m. Tuesday, they already had seen "hundreds" of cars at their drive-thru early voting location.
How it Started (at 7:20AM): pic.twitter.com/eqd1vXurKR
— Village of Richfield (@RichfieldWis) October 20, 2020
8:54 a.m. -- Long line outside downtown Milwaukee's Zeidler building
TMJ4's Ryan Jenkins captured video of a long line of voters waiting outside downtown Milwaukee's Zeidler building. Early voting began this morning at 8 a.m.
Look at the line outside of the Zeidler building in downtown #Milwaukee.
One woman says she’s waited about an hour and a half. Another man said about an hour. Both say the wait is worth it.
Early voting starts today in #Wisconsin.
Here’s what to know: https://t.co/uVMjJbj1Zo pic.twitter.com/EguFiaWuq0
— Ryan Jenkins (@RyanJenkins_TV) October 20, 2020
7:15 a.m. -- Joe Biden releases statement on Wisconsin's first day of early voting
Joe Biden released the following statement to mark the beginning of early voting in Wisconsin:
"As in-person early voting kicks off in Wisconsin today, Jill and I want to remind everyone to make a plan to vote and, if you can, vote early. You can be one of the first to move our country forward.This election is bigger than any one candidate. The future of our economy, our health care, our climate, our commitment to racial justice, our democracy, and so much more is on the ballot. Together, we can beat President Trump and restore the soul of our nation.Wisconsinites can visit www.iwillvote.com/WI for more information about how to cast their ballot."