Politics & Government

What You Need to Know Before Heading to the Polls

Tuesday is primary election day, and Patch has the information you need before you go to vote.

Voters will head to the polls Tuesday to choose the candidates they want to see run on the official ballot in November.

The Government Accountability Board is predicting a 20 percent turnout for this race, which only has one statewide contested race on the ballot:

United States Senate Republican Candidate: Eric Hovde, Tommy Thompson, Mark Neumann and Jeff Fitzgerald

Find out what's happening in Muskegowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Find information on the uncontested races on our

Registered voters can find information about their polling place and the races on the ballot at the Wisconsin Voter Public Access website. To see the details, enter your name and birthdate in the fieds provided and then click your name to get to the voter information page.

Find out what's happening in Muskegowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Polling places for all districts open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

Sample ballot: Download the sample ballot from the City of Muskego web site.

Polling locations:

  Muskego has 7 polling locations for 16 wards and seven districts. To determine your ward, contact the City Clerk's office at  (262) 679-5628, email the City Clerk's office, look up your district by your address or view the district/ward map.  You can also look it up on the Wisconsin Voter Public Access website.

  • District 1, Wards 1, 2 & 3 —
  • District 2, Wards 4-5 —
  • District 3, Wards 6, 7 & 8 —
  • District 4, Wards 9-10 —
  • District 5, Wards 11-12 —
  • District 6, Ward 13-14 —
  • District 7, Wards 15-16 —

Top 10 Voter Tips From the GAB

 The Government Acountability Board has released its list of the top 10 things voters should know for Primary Election Day.

  1. Voters can register at the polling place on Election Day, and then cast a ballot. To register, bring proof of residence (allowed proof are things like a current utility bill, lease, university ID card or other official document showing the voter's name and current address). A list of acceptable documents is available on the GAB website. Check whether your registration is current with your municipal clerk or on the state's Voter Public Access website: https://vpa.wi.gov.
  2. Voters may only vote for candidates of one party in the primary.
  3. Problems at the polling place (like voter fraud, voter intimidation, electioneering or misconduct by election officials) should be first brought to the attention of the Chief Election Inspector at the polling place. If that doesn't work, contact the municipal clerk's office or law enforcement. Unresolved complaints or issues should be reported to the GAB at http://gab.wi.gov/complaints, or by calling 1-866-VOTE-WIS. 
  4. Election observers must follow the rules: Election observers are welcome at every polling place, but they must obey the instructions of the chief election inspector, and may not interact with voters. Observers who disobey will be asked to leave, and may not observe at other polling places on Election Day. Rules for election observers are available at the polling place and on the G.A.B. website:  http://gab.wi.gov/clerks/education-training/election-observers
  5. Rules for challenging a voter: Only Wisconsin electors may challenge another voter’s eligibility, and there are specific criteria and limitations on challenges.  The chief election inspector can explain the challenge process and provide the voter and the challenger with explanatory documents. See http://gab.wi.gov/rights for details.
  6. Leave political items at home: Voters are asked not to wear political clothing or paraphernalia to the polling place on Election Day.  The chief election inspector may ask voters to leave the polling place if they are judged to be electioneering or creating a disturbance.
  7. Get in line before the polls close: Voters standing in line waiting to vote when the polling place closes at 8 p.m. on Election Day will be permitted to vote.
  8. Photo ID required? Due to a court injunction, a photo ID is not required of voters at the polling place on Election Day. However, if you have a driver license or state ID with a current address, you may use it to prove residency when registering on Election Day only if your current address is listed on your driver license or state ID, and you must provide the license or ID number.  
  9. Absentee ballots must be postmarked by Election Day: If you had an absentee ballot mailed to you, it must be postmarked by Election Day and must be received in your municipal clerk’s office by 4 p.m. the Friday after the election.
  10. Consider becoming a poll worker: Many Wisconsin cities, villages and towns need more civic-minded people to help out on Election Day. When you go to vote, take a look around see if it’s something you’d like to do. Many places offer split shifts if you can’t work the entire day. Contact your local municipal clerk’s office for more information.


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