So, here’s a little known fact about voting laws in Wisconsin: You can change your ballot up to three times. Few people know about the law, and even fewer take advantage.
Wisconsin has always been proud of its voting history. In fact, election officials here like to brag that the state has one of the highest rates of voter turnout across the country.
As of Monday, 465,000 people had already cast their ballot. Now, with just one week left before the election, and several days until the end of absentee voting, those people could still change their vote.
“It has always been the law that a voter has a right to obtain up to three ballots. Typically, that happens at the polling place if the voter realizes they made a mistake in marking the ballot. They can tear up their ballot, spoil the ballot and request a new ballot at the polling place. That right is also available for absentee voters,” Mike Haas says. He runs the Wisconsin Elections Commission.
READ: How Wisconsin Voters Can 'Cure' The Hundreds Of Ballots Already Rejected
With more issues or accusations seemingly coming to light every few days about the presidential candidates, might some early voters want to change their minds?
Probably not, according to Neil Albrecht, executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission. He says only a few people want to take back their initial vote.
“We’ve had less than half a dozen in the city of Milwaukee. We don’t ask voters their reasons obviously for wanting to spoil their initial absentee ballot, but there have been far more questions about the practice than actual voters requesting the opportunity to do it,” Albrecht says.
If you decide you want to re-vote, either by mail or in person absentee, all you have to do is request a new ballot.
