Absentee Voting
Voting by Absentee Ballot
You don’t have to head to your polling place on election day to vote. In Wisconsin, voters have many safe and secure ways to participate in elections — including voting by absentee ballot. With absentee voting, you can vote early at your municipal clerk’s office before Election Day, or receive your ballot by mail and either mail in your completed ballot or drop it off at your clerk’s office or polling place.
Voting by absentee ballot is a convenient way to take part in the voting process. You can learn more about Voting Absentee from the Wisconsin Elections Commission on their website -- Voting Absentee.
You will find information below on Absentee Voting specifically in the Town of Florence.
You will find information below on Absentee Voting specifically in the Town of Florence.
Absentee Voting By Mail*
How to Request an Absentee Ballot to Vote by Mail*
The easiest way to request an absentee ballot is to go online to https://myvote.wi.gov.
Voters can also request a ballot by sending something in writing either by email, fax or mail to their municipal clerk. Town of Florence Voters can contact the Town of Florence Office by sending a request to:
In order to receive a ballot, the voter needs to have a request on file that states:
*The United States Postal Service recommends mailing your ballot at least one week before Election Day. It can take a week to mail something from Florence back to Florence. RECENTLY, it has taken a couple of weeks or more for mail to be delivered. Plan accordingly when mailing your ballots. Absentee By-Mail Deadlines:
*Election deadlines will be updated for the next scheduled election when they are available. They are typical updated as follows - in January for February Primary, in February for the April Spring Election, in June for the August Partisan Primary and in September for the November General Election. Please note that a February Spring Primary may not be needed each year, and there are usually only August and November elections held during even years -- 2020, 2022, 2024, etc.
*The United States Postal Service recommends mailing your ballot at least one week before Election Day. It can take a week to mail something from Florence back to Florence. RECENTLY, it has taken a couple of weeks or more for mail to be delivered. Plan accordingly when mailing your ballots. Absentee By-Mail Deadlines:
*Election deadlines will be updated for the next scheduled election when they are available. They are typical updated as follows - in January for February Primary, in February for the April Spring Election, in June for the August Partisan Primary and in September for the November General Election. Please note that a February Spring Primary may not be needed each year, and there are usually only August and November elections held during even years -- 2020, 2022, 2024, etc.
In-Person Absentee Voting*
How to Vote an In-person Absentee Ballot*
In Wisconsin, early voting is absentee voting in the Clerk's Office. Any registered voter can request to vote an In-Person Absentee Ballot.
Although it is not required, voters can call to make an appointment to vote an in-person absentee ballot and everything will be set and ready to go for you when you get here.
In-Person Absentee Dates:
In-Person Absentee Voting & Appointments can be made during the following dates and times:
You will need to bring an acceptable photo ID to show in order to receive a ballot. *Election deadlines will be updated for the next scheduled election when they are available. They are typical updated as follows - in January for February Primary, in February for the April Spring Election, in June for the August Partisan Primary and in September for the November General Election. Please note that a February Spring Primary may not be needed each year, and there are usually only August and November elections held during even years -- 2020, 2022, etc.
In-Person Absentee Voting & Appointments can be made during the following dates and times:
You will need to bring an acceptable photo ID to show in order to receive a ballot. *Election deadlines will be updated for the next scheduled election when they are available. They are typical updated as follows - in January for February Primary, in February for the April Spring Election, in June for the August Partisan Primary and in September for the November General Election. Please note that a February Spring Primary may not be needed each year, and there are usually only August and November elections held during even years -- 2020, 2022, etc.
What Happens to a Voted Absentee Ballot
1. Absentee ballots are issued and mailed once the Town of Florence Office receives a request in writing and a photo ID is on file. Each absentee ballot mailing includes: instructions, one of each type of ballot (each ballot is initialed by the clerk), and a stamped and addressed certificate envelope for the voter to securely return their ballot in. The ballots are folded so that when they are returned, the election inspectors can see that the clerk initialed the ballot, but cannot see how the voter marked his/her ballot.
2. The voter receives and votes the ballot and encloses it in the certificate envelope provided with the ballot. This envelope must be signed and dated by the voter. A witness must also sign and write their address the envelope—by signing the witness states that they saw the voter sign the envelope and mark their ballot (not what they marked, but witnessing the voter was marking his/her own ballot).
3. The ballot gets returned to the Town of Florence. You can drop the ballot in the mail (there is postage on the envelope). If you use the mail, please note that it can take approximately 5-7 days for it to be returned to us. Voters can also drop off their absentee ballots at the Town of Florence Office during office hours.
4. Once received by the Town of Florence Office, the ballot is recorded as returned and the sealed envelope is placed in a secured absentee ballot box. If you vote in-person by absentee, the ballot is placed in a signed certificate envelope and locked up in the box with the rest of the absentee ballots.
5. That box is delivered by the Clerk to the polls on Election Day.
6. Two election inspectors verify the certificate envelope: that it is still sealed and hasn’t been tampered with, that the voter signed and dated the envelope and that a witness signed and put their address on the envelope. Then a voter number is issued to that voter, and the absentee ballot envelope is opened.
7. When the envelope is opened, the inspectors make sure there is only one ballot of each type (official, town, school, etc) enclosed, and that the clerk has initialed the ballot. Once those two items are verified, the ballot is then placed directly in the ballot box. The inspectors do not see how a voter marked their ballot due to how the ballot is folded in the envelope.
8. The ballot boxes are opened after 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. The election workers verify there are the same number of ballots as there are voters. Then the ballots are counted by four people.
9. After the ballots are all tallied, they get sealed in a ballot bag. Then the results are called into the County Clerk’s Office.
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