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Things to know about voting Tuesday

JANESVILLE — It's one day before the big vote, and you're not ready.

You have questions. We have answers.

This information comes from Rock County Clerk Lori Stottler, Walworth County Clerk Kim Bushey, city of Janesville Clerk Jean Wulf and the state Government Accountability Board:

Q: How long will the polls be open on Monday?

A: All polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. If you are standing in line by 8 p.m., you will be allowed to vote.

Q: I'm not sure where my polling place is. How can I find it?

A: You can find your polling place, check your registration status and see a sample ballot for your area online at myvote.wi.gov. Your town, village or city clerk also can help you with this. Voters in Janesville and some other local municipalities who have not voted yet this year could find that their voting places have changed.

Q: What other things have changed since last year?

A: You can no longer make one mark on the ballot to vote a straight-party ticket. You must vote separately for a candidate in each race.

Also, reapportionment has changed the lines for a variety of voting districts. Go to myvote.wi.gov to find out what districts you live in. District maps also are available at gazettextra.com/elections, which also provides information about candidates, referendums and a variety of other information.

Q: I forgot to register! Can I still vote?

A: Yes, but you must register at your polling place on Tuesday. You must have lived here for the past 28 days, and you must show proof of residence that includes your full name and address.

Proof could be a current Wisconsin driver's license or state ID card; a phone bill; a recent utility bill or rent receipt; a residential lease; any other official identification card or license issued by a Wisconsin governmental body or unit; an identification card issued by an employer and bearing a photo of the cardholder, but not including a business card; a real estate tax bill or receipt for the current year or the year preceding the election; a college or technical school photo identification card if the bearer provides a fee receipt dated within the last nine months; a bank statement; a paycheck or a check or other document issued by a unit of government

If you use your driver's license, you do not need to show the license, but you must provide the license number, and the license must show your current address.

Q: Can I absentee-vote today?

A: Not in your municipal clerk's office. The deadline for that was Friday. But if you ordered an absentee ballot to mail in, you can still do so if it's postmarked by Tuesday. Otherwise, you must vote Tuesday at your polling place.

Q: I can't get off work to vote.

A: Maybe you can. State law allows voters to request up to three hours of unpaid time off to vote, but you must request this in advance so your employer can adjust work schedules.

Q: Do I need to bring an ID to vote?

A: No, but you must tell the poll workers your address and sign the poll book.

Q: Can I wear my campaign button when I go to vote?

A: Better not. Poll workers may ask you to remove or cover up campaign paraphernalia.

Q: Is there any other advice you can share?

A: If you vote at a school, you might want avoid voting during times students are arriving or leaving the school, as parking spaces might be difficult to find. And if you have the opportunity, show some love for your poll workers.

"Show them some appreciation because they don't have an easy job, and it's going to be a long day on Tuesday," Bushey said.