Statewide, congressional, and legislative offices are among the many races that will appear on ballots across the state Tuesday, as voters head out to select the candidates that will represent their parties in November’s general election. As voters get ready to cast those ballots, state officials are offering some advice.
Voters should be aware that they will not have to show a government-issued photo ID at the polls, reminds Reid Magney with the state Government Accountability Board. A recent state Supreme Court ruling upheld Wisconsin’s requirement that voters show a government-issued photo ID at the polls, although the law still remains on hold because of an ongoing federal challenge. Magney says the one exception may be for those registering to vote at the polls, since a valid ID can be used to serve as your proof of residence.
When it comes to filling out your ballot, voters must pick candidates from only a single party. Magney says “you can only vote in one party’s primary, either Republican or Democrat. You can’t sort of pick and choose from one side.”
In the age of social media, taking a picture of your ballot and sharing it online is also against the law. Magney says cases of that pop up every so often and, while the state law that bans the practice is aimed more at keeping people from selling their vote, he says taking a picture of your marked ballot to just show your friends is still not allowed.
The lines at polling places are expected to be relatively short. Statewide voter turnout is only expected to be about 15 percent. While some hotly contested races could draw more interest, such as the Republic primary in the state’s 6th Congressional district, Magney says it’s still not likely to top 20 to 25 percent.