What are Wisconsin's 2024 elections, and when are they? Four dates to put on your calendar.
If you got a new calendar over the holiday season, the square for Nov. 5 might already denote Election Day.
But there are a few other election dates in Wisconsin to fill in, starting as early as February.
Keep in mind that you'll see earlier contests in other states. Some will happen in January: the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 15, followed by the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire on Jan. 23.
But back in Wisconsin, voters won't head to the polls until Feb. 20, and they'll return on April 2, Aug. 13 and Nov. 5.
What's the difference between the multiple primaries in Wisconsin, and when do they happen? Here's a rundown of election dates and what each contest will entail:
(Two extra tips: All these elections are held on a Tuesday, and the Wisconsin Election Commission has a simple calendar if you forget.)
February 20: Spring Primary
This election will be held, if needed, to select candidates for the spring election in April.
At this point, voters may narrow down candidates if more than two people are running for nonpartisan positions, like school board members, county supervisors and judges.
To figure out if this applies to your voting area, you can check "what's on my ballot" at myvote.wi.gov or visit your municipal clerk's website for more information.
April 2: Spring and Presidential Preference Election
In this election, voters make final decisions to elect candidates to those nonpartisan offices.
The presidential preference is also included on this ballot. At this point, voters indicate which presidential candidate they want a political party to select.
This primary is "advisory," not binding — parties hold their own conventions to select a nominee, including the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, which is July 15-18.
On this ballot, voters are also set to weigh in on changing the state Constitution to prohibit using private grants to administer elections, which Republicans continue to scrutinize after the 2020 election.
A second constitutional amendment, which clarifies that only U.S. citizens can vote in Wisconsin, will appear on the November ballot.
August 13: Partisan Primary
This primary is held to select candidates for the November ballot, which includes partisan offices like senators and representatives in Congress and the state Capitol.
For example, voters will likely select from a large Democratic field to challenge Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden for the battleground 3rd Congressional District in western Wisconsin.
Some state partisan offices were elected in 2022 — such as Wisconsin's governor and attorney general — and won't be on the ballot in 2024. It's a similar case for nonpartisan offices like the state superintendent of public instruction.
Voters don't make presidential choices in this election. Republicans will have already held their convention by this date, and the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will begin a few days later.
November 5: General Election
This is the big one: Voters decide who will be the next president in the general election.
In Wisconsin, voters will also determine if Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin wins a third term and will choose who will represent the state in the U.S. House.
And because of a state Supreme Court ruling that declared the state's legislative maps unconstitutional, half of the state Senate and the full state Assembly will run in new districts next year.
That could alter the makeup of the Legislature. It's possible Democrats could gain a majority in the state Senate, but unlikely in the Assembly.
Other registration, absentee voting dates to remember
If you're planning to vote absentee, clerks must receive your request for an absentee ballot by 5 p.m. on the fifth day before an election. Indefinitely confined and military voters have slightly longer deadlines.
Clerks are required to send out ballots to voters with an absentee application on file 47 days before a federal election and 21 days before a primary or other election.
And if you're voting in-person on Election Day, polls are open from 7 a.m. through 8 p.m.
More: Wisconsin voter registration guide: How to register to vote, options to vote and more
Wisconsin doesn't have a deadline to register to vote, because you can register at your polling place on Election Day.
Just remember that you must have lived at your current address for at least 28 days, and bring proof of residence.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: When are Wisconsin's 2024 elections? Here are four dates to know.
