The Whole World is Watching the Most Important Election in the Nation During 2025
Tomorrow is April 1st which has long been celebrated as “April Fool’s Day” throughout much of the nation. But on this April 1st in Wisconsin the real fools are those who are eligible to vote and don’t bother to do so in what has shaped up to be the most consequential and important election in the United States in 2025. The Wisconsin Supreme Court election to be decided tomorrow is already by far the most expensive judicial election of any ever waged in the history of our country with upwards of $80 million already spent in a state with about 4 million eligible voters.
Wisconsin was the most closely contested swing state in the nation in November 2024 with less than 30,000 votes separating the winner and loser of both the US Presidential and US Senate contests in the Badger state. And because Spring elections always experience far less participation than November elections, every vote cast and counted tomorrow is even more important and carries even more weight than in a presidential or gubernatorial election because so many fewer voters are participating. Therefore, when you vote you have great voice and power and your ability to effect change is significant.
In addition to the all-important, critical and nationally significant Wisconsin Supreme Court election to fill the seat of the retiring most senior justice on the court, Ann Walsh Bradley, voters will elect the State Superintendent of Public Instruction as well as many local offices for judge, city council, county board, mayor, and others.
Voters will also decide on the adoption of a state constitutional amendment ballot question regarding the enshrinement into our state constitution Wisconsin’s extreme and restrictive voter photo ID law which CC/WI opposes for the reasons we laid out in January when this partisan measure was before the Wisconsin Legislature.
Like so many Wisconsin voters, we have been very concerned about the unprecedented outside interference and involvement of both the richest person in the world, Elon Musk who is spending millions of dollars to influence the outcome of our state election, as well as The White House attempting to sow distrust and confusion in Wisconsin a week before the election with the issuance of an Executive Order that we believe is not at all applicable to Wisconsin and is likely unlawful and unconstitutional in its scope and execution.
Therefore, tomorrow your vote and your voice really matter and will make a difference much more so than perhaps it ever has before and even more than you realize. Please take the time to vote tomorrow and ensure that you do it correctly so that your vote will be counted. Here’s what you need to know:
Mail-in Absentee Ballot Return
If you still have an absentee ballot that was mailed to you and you have not returned it yet, be sure to personally hand return your completed ballot TODAY. Absolutely Do NOT mail it! All ballots need to be received no later than 8:00 PM tomorrow (Tuesday) on Election Day. Your clerk and myvote.wi.gov will have information about where you can take your ballot for hand delivery.
Don't forget: The ballot envelope needs a witness signature and the complete address of the witness, filled out by the witness.
REMINDER: Voters with a disability who need assistance may have someone return their absentee ballot.
You can track your ballot through the official ballot tracker on MyVote.WI.Gov. Don't see that your ballot was received? Contact your clerk for further information.
In-Person Voting at your Polling Location on Election Day
If you are planning to vote in person at the polls, read the information below so you are prepared when you show up to vote at your polling location. Polls are open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM on Tuesday, April 1st.
Polling Location
Polling places can change from election to election. To find out where to go to cast your ballot, visit the Find My Polling Place page on the MyVote.Wi.Gov website and type in your address.
Registration
You can register to vote on Election Day at your polling location. Being registered to vote means being registered at your current address. You need to have lived at your current address for at least 28 days prior to Election Day in order to register to vote in that election district or ward. You'll need to bring a proof of residence document to complete your registration (this document can be shown electronically - like on your phone or tablet).
Photo ID
You are required to show a photo ID before you vote. If you have a Wisconsin driver's license or a Wisconsin Department of Transportation-issued ID card, then you’re all set. Selected other forms of ID work too, and it’s very important to check the official list of acceptable IDs at Bring It to The Ballot to make sure you have what you need.
What if you don't have an acceptable ID to vote tomorrow? You can ask for AND vote with a provisional ballot. But, for your ballot to be counted, you MUST either come back to your polling place with an acceptable form of ID before it closes at 8:00 PM on Election Day OR bring your ID to your municipal clerk's office by 4:00 PM the Friday after the election (Friday, April 4th). If you don't have an acceptable ID for voting and need help getting one, call or text the VoteRiders helpline 866-ID-2-VOTE for assistance.
Your Ballot
You will find local and state races on your ballot. (View a sample of your ballot at MyVote.wi.gov). These offices and the people who serve in these roles have a direct impact on your life.
Get to know who wants to represent you and which candidate best represents your values before you vote. Find candidate and ballot information from the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin at Vote411.
College Students voting in Wisconsin
Are you a college student voting in Wisconsin? Or do you know a student who wants to vote in Wisconsin? Here is important information from the Common Cause Wisconsin website to know and share: Three Things College Students Need to Do to Vote in Wisconsin
Have questions or need some assistance?
Help is just a call, text, or email away.
If you experience problems at the polls or have questions, there is help. Call Election Protection at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) for support from nonpartisan election protection volunteers with any questions you have or to report problems.
Voters with disabilities have the right to have ready access to any polling place. This includes the right to use an accessible voting machine, getting assistance marking and returning an absentee ballot, and voting curbside at a polling location. Call the Disability Rights Wisconsin Voter Hotline for assistance: 1-844-347-8683. Or email: info@disabilityvote.org. Additional online resources are also at the Wisconsin Disability Vote Coalition website.
We are all exhausted and ready for this seemingly endless election season, that has been ongoing for more than a year, to end. And after tomorrow it should, at least for a little while. But for now, the stakes for your family and for Wisconsin are just too high to ignore this election. Get out there and vote or, if you have already, please encourage your family, friends and everyone and anyone you know to get to the polls tomorrow.
It is no exaggeration to say that your vote in Wisconsin on April 1st will have an impact like no other vote you have ever cast before. The whole world is literally watching what we do here tomorrow. So, get out there and make a difference!
On Wisconsin!
Forward,
Jay Heck
Executive Director
Common Cause Wisconsin
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152 Johnson St, Suite 212
Madison, WI 53703
