Wisconsin mails postcards to 343K registered voters who may have moved

MADISON -- The State of Wisconsin has begun mailing postcards to approximately 343,000 registered voters who may have moved in-state and need to reregister or moved out of Wisconsin and are no longer eligible.

The Wisconsin Elections Commission issued a news release on Monday, November 6th that indicates it is sending the postcards to voters who have told another government agency that they have moved recently.  These voters may have changed their address with the post office, updated their address with the Wisconsin DMV or applied for a driver license in another state.

Unlike postcards the Commission mails out to inactive voters, the postcards to movers will be forwarded to their new addresses.  That way, voters who have moved will be reminded that they need to reregister.

The postcard asks recipients whether they want to remain active on the state’s voter list.  To remain active, voters have one month to mail a return postage-paid postcard to their municipal clerk. Voters who do not respond will be deactivated.  Voters will also be deactivated if the postcard is undeliverable by the Post Office.

Voters who have moved should not return the postcard.  Instead they must re-register at their new address.  Voters can now register online up to 20 days before an election at the MyVote Wisconsin website if they have an up-to-date Wisconsin driver license or state ID card.  They may also register by mail up to 20 days before an election, after which they may register at the clerk’s office until the Friday before the election, or at their new polling place on Election Day.

Some voters who did not move may receive a postcard if they registered a vehicle at a different address, either in Wisconsin or another state.  If you receive a postcard but did not move, please mail the postage-paid postcard to your local municipal clerk, whose address is on the card, and your registration will continue unaffected.

The Commission used information from the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a multi-state group that helps its members keep their voter registration lists current by identifying voters who may have changed their address, moved out of state or died.  One of the requirements of membership in ERIC is to send mailings to voters who may have moved.

More information about the ERIC list maintenance process is posted to the Commission’s website: elections.wi.gov.