Racine voters who like to get a jump on Election Day are already seeing some action in their mailboxes.
The City Clerk’s Office started sending out absentee ballots on Thursday, June 25, to everyone who had a request on file for the August 11 partisan primary. Those envelopes are heading out weeks before in-person absentee voting opens at City Hall on July 28, giving residents plenty of runway to cast a ballot before Primary Day.
The city announced the mail push in a Facebook update, noting that the Clerk’s Office "started mailing absentee ballots for all absentee ballot requests the city has on file," according to the City of Racine. State guidance from MyVote Wisconsin explains that municipal clerks can begin mailing ballots once official ballots are received and that clerks had until June 25 to send ballots to voters with active requests. Regular absentee requests must be received by 5 p.m. on August 6. Taken together, those deadlines mean most Racine voters who asked for a ballot by mail should see it well ahead of early in person sessions later this summer.
How to request and track your ballot
If you still need a mailed ballot, you can request one through the state’s online system or by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at Racine City Hall. The city’s official site, City of Racine, lists phone numbers, office hours, and other local election resources for residents.
Once you have put in your request, it should appear in the state’s tracking tool after the clerk processes it and drops your ballot in the mail, so you can keep an eye on where things stand instead of just staring at the mailbox.
Important dates
Here are the key dates driving Racine’s primary calendar, as outlined by MyVote Wisconsin:
- By June 25: Municipal clerks may and should mail ballots to voters who already have absentee requests on file.
- July 28: In-person absentee voting begins at the clerk’s office at City Hall.
- August 6, 5 p.m.: Deadline for voters to request a mailed absentee ballot.
- August 11: Election Day for the partisan primary.
What voters should know
Once that absentee ballot lands on your kitchen table, do not let it sit there. Completed absentee ballots must be received by the municipal clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day to count, so any postal delays could matter.
Local officials also point out that in-person absentee voting is available throughout the early voting period if you would rather hand your ballot directly to staff. For a step-by-step rundown on how to request, complete, and return an absentee ballot in Racine County, see Civic Media.
Questions or need help with your ballot? You can contact the City Clerk’s Office at Racine City Hall, 730 Washington Ave., Racine, WI 53403, or visit City of Racine. The city’s Facebook post and the state’s voting pages remain the fastest ways to confirm when your ballot was mailed and how to track it as the August 11 primary approaches.
