When is Wisconsin's February primary election and what's on the ballot? (It's not presidential candidates)

Hope Karnopp, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·2 min read

Wisconsin's spring primary election is Feb. 20 — but you won't be casting your ballots for presidential candidates just yet.

Instead, some voters will head to the polls in about a month to narrow down candidates for local, nonpartisan positions, such as school board members, county supervisors and city alders. Candidates who advance from the primary election will face off in the April 2 election.

Wisconsin voters won't select their preferences for president until the April election, which will also include candidates who advance from the February ballot. Many other states hold their presidential primary earlier, including 16 states on Super Tuesday, March 5.

Here's what to know about the upcoming primary election and important voting dates to keep in mind.

Who's on the Feb. 20 primary election ballot in Wisconsin?

The February ballot will include candidates for nonpartisan offices. In Wisconsin, those include judges, county executives and supervisors, school board members, and elective town, village and city offices.

The election is held as needed — if more than two candidates are running one position, for example. If you're not sure if this applies to your area, you can search for your address or check what's on your ballot ahead of time at myvote.wi.gov.

When do I need to register to vote for the Feb. 20 Wisconsin primary election?

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has a list of key dates and links for registration, requesting ballots and finding your local clerk. If you need to register to vote before the Feb. 20 election, here are the dates to keep in mind:

  • Jan. 31: Deadline to send your voter registration form by mail or register to vote online.

  • Feb. 16: Deadline to register to vote at your local clerk's office.

  • Feb. 20: You can also register to vote at your polling place on Election Day.

What's the deadline for absentee ballots for the Feb. 20 Wisconsin primary election?

If you're planning to vote absentee, here are the dates to keep in mind:

  • Jan. 30: Deadline for clerks to send absentee ballots to voters with requests already on file.

  • Feb. 15: Deadline for most voters to request an absentee ballot.

  • Feb. 16: Deadline for military and indefinitely confined voters to request an absentee ballot.

  • Feb. 6 through Feb. 18: Voters may be able to vote in-person absentee through Feb. 18, but contact your local clerk for exact dates and times.

  • Feb. 20 at 5 p.m.: Deadline for hospitalized voters to request an absentee ballot be brought to them.

  • Feb. 20 at 8 p.m.: Local clerks must receive your ballot by the time polls close on Election Day, so plan ahead if you're mailing your ballot back. You can also return it to your clerk's office, or your polling place or absentee ballot counting location on Election Day.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: When is Wisconsin's primary election 2024 and what's on the ballot?