Absentee Voting

Departments

Eligibility Requirements: Qualified Elector

Any qualified elector who is unable to get to the polling location on Election Day for any reason may ask to vote by absentee ballot. A qualified elector is a person who:

  • Has resided in the election district where the person wishes to vote at least 28 days before the election
  • Is a U.S. citizen
  • Is legally qualified to vote
  • Will be 18 years of age or older on Election Day

If voter registration is required and you are not already registered, you will need to register to vote before an absentee ballot can be sent to you.

Request an Absentee Ballot:

To Vote Absentee By Mail:

The application must be received by the Clerk no later than 5:00 pm on the Thursday before the election in order for an absentee ballot to be mailed to you.  Please note that an absentee ballot requested in the few days just before an election may not arrive to you in the mail prior to the date by which you must return it.  If the election is just a few days away and you need an absentee ballot, please contact the Clerk by phone to discuss the timing of delivery.

To Vote Absentee In-Person (a.k.a. “Early Voting”):

You can request an Application for Absentee Ballot and vote In-Person Absentee at the Town Clerk’s Office. The hours for In-Person Absentee Voting are generally the two weeks prior to an election.

Where: Town of Brookfield Town Hall, 645 N. Janacek Rd, Brookfield, WI 53045

When: Monday through Friday, 8am – 4:30pm, generally for two weeks prior to the election.

Deadline for Returning Absentee Ballot

U.S. Postal Service: Your completed absentee ballot must be received by 8:00 pm on Election Day.

Other delivery (FedEx, hand-delivery, etc.): Your completed absentee ballot must be delivered to the municipal clerk no later than 8 pm on Election Day

Indefinitely confined electors and military electors should contact the Clerk’s Office.

Absentee Voting By Mail

If you already registered in the Town of Brookfield you may request an absentee ballot online via www.MyVote.wi.gov , by letter, or by filling in the absentee application (PDF). It must list the address at which you legally reside, the address where the absentee ballot should be sent (if different from your legal address), your signature and a copy of your photo ID. 

You should allow enough time for:

  • Your request to reach the Town Clerk’s office (must be received no later than the 5th day before the Election if requesting it to be mailed.)
  • The ballot to be mailed out to the requested address (usually the same day that the request is received) unless you reside where Special Voting Deputies Visit
  • The completed ballot to be returned to the Town Clerk’s office prior to Election Day or no later than 8PM on Election Day. 
    • If you choose to mail your absentee ballot back to the Clerk’s office, USPS recommends putting it in the mail at least 7 days prior to Election Day (deadline to return).

Mail or Email requests to the Town Clerk’s office.

You can also come to the Town Clerk’s office during normal working hours to complete an absentee ballot request form. The deadline for this is the Friday before Election Day. Please note: Absentee ballots may NOT be hand-carried outside of Town Hall. You may NOT pick up an absentee ballot for anyone else and take it to them.

Permanent Absentee Voting

Permanent absentee voting applies to electors who are indefinitely confined to a home or a care facility, hospitalized, or serving as a sequestered juror. If this applies to you, please contact the Town Clerk’s office at (262) 796-3788 for more information. Please note that the Post Office CANNOT forward absentee ballots.

Military and Overseas Voters

Military and Permanent Overseas voters have special rules and additional options for voting. If you are a military or overseas voter, you are eligible to receive your absentee ballot electronically, including online through the MyVote Wisconsin website. Click the link provided to then select if you are a military voter or a permanent overseas voter.

Absentee Voting FAQ

Why did I get a ballot mailed to me – I don’t remember asking for one.

You may have accidentally chosen a “Calendar Year” or “Indefinitely Confined” option when you made your initial request. Please contact the Clerk’s Office with questions or to inquire about absentee options.

How can I request a ballot be mailed to me?

All registered voters can request a ballot online at www.MyVote.wi.gov, by mail using the Application for Absentee Ballot, in person at the Clerk’s Office, or by emailing the Clerk. Make sure you include your name, your voting address, which election you want a ballot for, and the address you want us to mail the ballot to. Don’t forget to include a copy of your Photo ID!

When will my ballot be mailed to me?

For a small election (Feb/Apr), clerks must mail ballots at least 21 days prior to the election. For a federal (Nov), clerks must mail ballots at least 45 days prior to the election. If you request a ballot after the initial mailing (21 days before a small election/45 days before a federal election), we have one business day to process the request and get your ballot into the mail.

I just found out that I will be out of town for the election. Is it too late to vote absentee?

You can request a ballot be mailed to you up until 5:00p.m. on the Thursday before each election. This doesn’t leave much time for mailing, so we highly recommend making your request as soon as possible and no later than a week prior to allow for mailing time. 

There isn’t much on this ballot, why did you bother sending it to me?

Even if the ballot doesn’t have much on it, we are legally required to mail a ballot to everyone with a valid request on file in our office.

Questions about Absentee Voting?

Please contact the Clerk’s Office with your questions or to inquire about options.

Email: Clerk@TownofBrookfield.com

Phone: (262) 796-3788